Jakarta. State-owned energy firm Pertamina said Friday that it had empowered 63 villages to use clean energy.

This program is part of Pertamina’s so-called Desa Energi Berdikari (‘Energy Self-Sufficient Village') initiative which seeks to promote the use of environmentally friendly energy sources such as solar power, hydropower, wind and biogas. This initiative has helped slash up to 565,978 tons of carbon emissions every year, according to Pertamina.

Fadjar Djoko Santoso, the vice president for corporate communications at Pertamina, said this initiative reaffirmed the company’s goal to help Indonesia reach net zero emissions by 2060.

“The Desa Energi Berdikari program is a tangible action by Pertamina’s corporate social responsibility program to fast-track the energy transition in the communities. This initiative has earned international acknowledgment because it does not only slash emission but also drive the village’s economy,” Fadjar was quoted as saying in a recent press statement.

Pertamina aims to implement this program in 66 villages across Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, Kalimantan, and Papua this year. Pertamina not long ago has just expanded the Desa Energi Berdikari program to 5 more villages. They are Sruni Village (Central Java), Cindakko Hamlet (South Sulawesi), Bunyu Timur (North Kalimantan), Prangkat Baru and Saliki villages (East Kalimantan). 

“Pertamina has installed solar panels and biogas-powered plants which produce 31,070 watt peak of energy,” Fadjar said. 

The program also seeks to meet the village’s needs, including the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). 

For instance, the Cidakko Hamlet lies at a height of 600-800 meters above sea level, making it difficult for the residents to access electricity and gas. So the newly installed clean energy sources aim to help its MSMEs’ production of honey and forest-based processed food products. The clean energy sources are powering the farming activities in Bunyu Timur and Prangkat Baru villages. The program also helps Saliki Village access clean water. Pertamina also helps provide biogas from the wastewater plant to the Sruni villagers.

Pertamina first launched Desa Energi Berdikari in 2019. Thanks to this program, the participating villages have generated 210,950 wp of solar power, 605,000 m3/year of methane gas and biogas, 8,000 watts of micro hydropower, 16,500 wp of hybrid energy, and 6,500 liters of biodiesel energy per year. The initiative has also brought economic impact for 3,201 families with a multiplier effect totaling Rp 1.8 billion per year.

Pertamina’s Desa Energi Berdikari initiative is in line with several sustainable development goals (SDGs), namely SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 13 (Climate Action), according to Fadjar.