Gov’t Accelerates Energy Transition and Diversification Efforts

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia delivers a press statement at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta, Thursday (03/12).

The Government is set to expedite the energy transition and diversify energy sources, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia has said.

“I was summoned to report on the development of the New, Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation (EBTKE) Task Force, the development in new and renewable energy, and the conversion of fossil fuel vehicles to EVs,” he said in a press statement following a meeting with President Prabowo Subianto at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta, Thursday (03/12).

According to Bahlil, the Government is preparing concrete measures to accelerate the use of new and renewable energy, including replacing diesel power plants that operate on diesel oil.

The transition program, he added, will be implemented gradually nationwide, with priority given to regions whose power supply still depends on diesel-fuel generators.

“The locations are spread across Indonesia, particularly those with generators that still run on diesel oil. Given the current geopolitical situation [and] the ongoing war, we cannot be certain about the long-term security of our own energy supply. Therefore, we are optimizing all domestic potentials by [using] energy sources that can be converted from fossil fuel,” he said.

In addition to the energy transition agenda, the meeting discussed measures to anticipate global geopolitical dynamics that could affect energy supply, particularly the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.

As part of its energy supply diversification strategy, the Government is considering sourcing crude oil from countries beyond the Middle East.

“A few days ago, I reported that we will shift our fuel supplies from the Middle East to the United States and other countries such as Nigeria, Brazil, and Australia,” he said, adding that the Government will continue to monitor global oil price fluctuations while seeking the best option for national interest. (BPMI of Presidential Secretariat) (DH/EP)