Jakarta. A fishing village in Bali has made efforts to cut carbon emissions by using electric boats.

Over the past few months, Pertamina International Shipping (PIS), the marine subholding of the oil giant, has been working on its corporate social responsibility program in Bali’s Kelan Village. The program aimed to make the village self-sufficient in energy or also known as desa energi berdikari (DEB). PIS also launched its so-called KeNaLi -- short for Keluarga Nelayan Lestari (‘Sustainable Fishermen’s Family’). This is a holistic program that promotes a spirit of collaboration to create an energy-independent and economically empowered coastal community.

In Kelan Village, PIS provided electric fishing boat engines powered by solar panels. This technology not only supports a reduction in carbon emissions by over 70 percent in the past two months. It also helps fishermen save on fuel operating costs.

In its initial phase, PIS provided five electric motors and ten batteries for fishing boats belonging to the Tanjung Sari Joint Business Group (KUB). The company also rolled out the solar panels for the fishermen’s families and village public facilities. Within two months of use following a pilot period, the implementation had cut carbon emissions by 62 kilograms of carbon dioxide. It also gave a 78 percent boost to the energy efficiency compared to oil-fueled engines.

PIS provides door-to-door education on conservation and economic empowerment for coastal families. This education integrates environmental conservation activities such as household waste management, mangrove conservation, and the use of renewable energy in daily life.

This program has trained 161 families in Kelan Village to sort and manage organic and inorganic waste, resulting in a reduction of 183 kilograms of waste per week and the creation of mangrove eco-trips, which have become a new educational tourism opportunity for the village.

"As a Pertamina subholding operating in the sea, PIS has a significant responsibility to contribute to the preservation of maritime ecosystems while improving the welfare of coastal communities," PIS’ CSR manager Alih Istik Wahyuni was quoted as saying in a recent press statement.

This program, which has been in collaboration with Divers Clean Action (DCA) since 2024, is a part of the company's strategy to strengthen its contribution to the national energy transition agenda and the implementation of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles.

Made Yudha Wibawa, the rehabilitation and conservation analyst at the Tahura Regional Technical Implementation Unit, which manages the mangrove forest area in the Benoa area, expressed his appreciation for the DEB KeNaLi program. 

"We hope that fishing groups can become energy independent and able to manage the area with clean energy sources, even after the program ends," he said during a visit to Kelan Village last week.

Support also came from the local village government. Kelan village head I Wayan Sukarena viewed this program as a strategic step in developing the village's potential, particularly in the areas of clean energy and eco-friendly tourism.

"This program opens up a huge opportunity for us to develop clean energy tourism while preserving the mangroves, which will support future life," he said.

This effort aligns with PIS's support for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically points 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), 13 (Climate Action), and 14 (Life Below Water).