Indonesia Pushes Large-Scale Solar Power to Achieve Energy Independence

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - President Prabowo Subianto emphasized that Indonesia has significant potential for alternative energy sources that can be utilized to strengthen national energy independence. The government is accelerating the development of new and renewable energy (NRE) as part of efforts to achieve energy self-sufficiency within the next four years.

“We already have a goal of energy self-sufficiency, which we are confident will be achieved within four years,” President Prabowo said at the first anniversary celebration of Danantara Indonesia in Jakarta on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.

To meet this target, the government is pushing for the construction of solar power plants (PLTS) with a capacity of up to 100 gigawatts (GW).

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Bahlil Lahadalia, said the construction of PLTS is a strategic step to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, particularly diesel-based power plants.

“Currently, our power plants still use diesel, some coal, and some gas. The President’s directive is to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, especially diesel, and we are directed to build a 100-gigawatt solar power plant,” Minister Bahlil said in a statement in Jakarta on Thursday, March 12, 2026, as quoted on the ministry’s official website.

He added that the large-scale solar power plant project is part of accelerating the national energy transition by utilizing domestically available clean energy sources.

In addition to solar power, the government is also encouraging the development of other renewable energy sources, such as geothermal and hydropower, to strengthen national energy security. “By using power plants like this, we will no longer be dependent on foreign fossil fuels,” he said.

As part of accelerating the energy transition, President Prabowo appointed Minister Bahlil as Chair of the Energy Transition Acceleration Task Force. The task force is responsible for expanding the use of clean energy in various sectors, including renewable energy-based electrification.

Alongside the construction of large-scale solar power plants, the government is also promoting a program to convert motor vehicles to electric vehicles.

President Prabowo said Indonesia has a significant advantage in developing alternative energy sources, ranging from geothermal energy to biomass from agricultural commodities such as palm oil, cassava, corn, and sugar cane.

He added that Indonesia’s geothermal reserves are among the largest in the world and have not been fully utilized. “We have enormous geothermal reserves, if I’m not mistaken, the second largest in the world that have not been fully exploited,” President Prabowo said. ***