President Jokowi Pushes for Electric Car Development in Jakarta
President Jokowi answers the reporters questions at The 42nd Indonesian Petroleum Association (IPA) Convention and Exhibition, at JCC, Jakarta, Wednesday (2/5). (Photo by: Agung/Public Relations Division).
President Joko Jokowi Widodo on Wednesday (2/5) opened the 42nd Indonesian Petroleum Association (IPA) Convention and Exhibition (Convex) held at the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC).
In his opening remarks, the President mentioned a report from Bloomberg regarding electric buses and electric cars in China.
“One of the cities (with electric buses and electric cars) is Shenzhen. As of the end of 2017, as many as 16,300 public buses had switched to electric buses. Based on the report, China is to replace 100,000 public buses to electric ones every year,” the President said.
To this end, the President has called on DKI Jakarta administration to start switching to electric buses. “Pak Deputy Governor is here. Please switch public buses in Jakarta to electric ones,” the President added.
Cities across the globe such as London, Paris, Los Angeles, and Mexico City, the President said, are also promoting the use of electric buses, and hopefully Jakarta will follow suit soon. “But it is up to Pak Governor (DKI Jakarta, red) and Deputy Governor,” the President said.
President Jokowi went on to explain a report from Bloomberg that this year the world’s electric vehicles will eliminate global oil demand of about 279,000 barrels per day. He also cited an example of the total annual national consumption in Greece which is cut from 279,000 barrels per day to 233,000 barrels per day through the electrification of public buses.
With the rising oil prices in the world in recent years and months, it will certainly also trigger more and more sectors to shift to renewable technologies to reduce dependence on oil,” the President concluded.
The Convex, themed “Driving Indonesia’s Oil & Gas Competitiveness, is set to be held from 2 to 4 May 2018 and expected to attract 25,000 visitors and 1,800 delegates from 20 countries. It is organized annually by the IPA – which comprises oil and gas companies in Indonesia – to share technical knowledge and facilitate dialogs between the industry and the Government.
Also present at the opening ceremony were Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Wiranto, Coordinating Minister for the Economy Luhut B. Pandjaitan, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Ignatius Jonan, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, IPA Executive Director Marjolijn Wajong and the participants. (FID/AGG/ES) (MUR/EP/YM/Naster).
