RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia’s national industrial decarbonization plan has prompted the government to shift its focus to unconventional energy sources in an effort to reduce emissions. 

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources considers this transition crucial to safeguarding the competitiveness of domestic industry in the future.

This policy direction was outlined at the forum “Roadmap for Decarbonization of Indonesian Industry 2026: Partnerships, Capital, and Technology” held in Jakarta on Tuesday, February 3, 2026. The agenda addressed technology strategies, financing, and international collaboration to support the development of low-carbon industries.

Deputy Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Yuliot Tanjung stressed that nuclear, hydrogen, and ammonia must be prioritized in the country’s industrial energy transformation. “We recognize that the development of new energy sources such as nuclear, hydrogen, and ammonia must be our focus going forward for industrial decarbonization,” Yuliot said, as quoted by Antara.

He noted that several developed countries, including the United States, South Korea, and Japan, have successfully expanded their clean energy mix through nuclear power plants. 

According to Yuliot, Indonesia has in fact explored nuclear development since the early years of independence. “Indonesia’s first president, Soekarno, had already announced and created several prototypes for nuclear reactors in Yogyakarta, Bandung, and Serpong, but they never reached industrial scale,” he said.

During the planning stage, Indonesia also established partnerships with countries that possess nuclear technology. “In the process, we collaborated with the US, Canada, South Korea, China, and Russia,” Yuliot explained. 

He added that nuclear power plants in developed countries have supported industrial downstreaming by providing competitively priced electricity. “Developed countries utilize nuclear power plants as eco-friendly facilities that enhance competitiveness because electricity prices are more affordable,” he said.

Meanwhile, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia stated that nuclear development has become a priority agenda for the National Energy Council (DEN). 

He emphasized, however, that detailed discussions are still pending the DEN’s inaugural meeting before being reported to President Prabowo Subianto. ***