President Jokowi Promotes Indonesia’s Green, Digital Economy Potential

President Jokowi delivers remarks at the 2021 Kompas100 CEO Forum, Thursday (18/11), at the State Palace, Jakarta. (Photo by: BPMI/ Muchlis Jr)

The Government deemed it necessary to start developing green economy considering a shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources and Indonesia has great potential for green economy, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has said.

The President further said that the issue has been discussed in G20 Summit. Therefore, Indonesia will start constructing Green Industrial Park in North Kalimantan, of which the energy is generated from Kayan River.

Hydropower potential of Kayan River is about 11-13,000 megawatts. Indonesia also has more than 4,400 rivers with their green energy potential.

“Mamberamo River can generate 24,000 megawatts. I only mentioned two rivers. Let’s imagine if 4,400 rivers can generate hydropower,” said the President in his remarks at the 2021 Kompas100 CEO Forum, Thursday (18/11), at the State Palace, Jakarta.

Besides hydropower, the country also has other green energy potentials; geothermal that can generate 29,000 megawatts, wind power, and ocean tidal power.

“We should acknowledge such potentials and utilize it immediately for the next generation. We will prepare the potential and start constructing Green Industrial Park next month. When the project is underway, investors will enter the country because of the green energy. The projects require massive investment but we don’t have the skills. Thus, we are open for private sector investment,” he said.

On that occasion, the Head of State also called for establishment of digital economy ecosystem because Indonesia also has the potential. Indonesia not only has huge market but also 2,229 startup companies. Indonesia’s digital economy potential in 2025 is projected to reach US$124 billion.

“Therefore, we need to prepare it. I have set a target of two years. We must draw up the roadmap; how to prepare the digital infrastructure, digital governance, digital economy, digital society, and digital ecosystem,” he added.

According to him, the construction of digital infrastructure needs facilities such as optical fiber, satellite, base transceiver station (BTS), and data center infrastructure. The Government must also draw up regulation to support it as soon as possible.

In addition, another factor that must be prepared for the development of digital economy ecosystem is human resources. For that reason, President Jokowi called for the establishment of digital leadership academy under cooperation with top universities, such as Oxford, Harvard, the National University of Singapore (NUS), and Tsinghua. (TGH/UN) (RAS/MUR)