Energy Transition Cannot Be Delayed, President Jokowi Asks Everything To Be Prepared

Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Photo: Setkab)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said that the transition from fossil energy to green energy cannot be delayed any longer. For that, must be prepared carefully.

"Indeed, we know that this energy transition cannot be delayed. Therefore, the planning, the grand design, must begin to be prepared. What will we do next year, what will the next year be? What will the next five years be? ," said President Jokowi at the Bogor Presidential Palace on Tuesday, November 16, as quoted from the Presidential Secretariat channel which was uploaded on Saturday, November 20.

President Jokowi conveyed this when giving directions to the Board of Commissioners and Directors of PT Pertamina and PT PLN.

According to the President, the shift to more environmentally friendly energy is one of the government's efforts to control climate change.

President Jokowi encouraged PT Pertamina and PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) to make the best use of their time to strengthen the foundation for the energy transition.

"This has to start preparing, which ones can be shifted to hydro, which ones can be shifted to geothermal, then which ones can be shifted to the sun, which ones can be shifted to the wind," the President continued.

The Head of State said that the current largest energy supply in Indonesia is still coal at 67 percent, then fossil fuels at 15 percent, and gas at 8 percent.

"If Indonesia can divert this energy, it will have an impact on balance of payments gains that can affect the Indonesian currency," added President Jokowi.

In addition, he continued, PLN's electricity production can also be absorbed for electric cars.

"If we can switch it to other energies, for example, all cars are replaced with electricity, all household gas is replaced with electricity, because PLN is oversupply, meaning that the supply from PLN is absorbed, oil imports at Pertamina are going down," said President Jokowi.

Regarding investment, President Jokowi encouraged his staff not to make it difficult for Pertamina and PLN to enter investment. The President assessed that the amount of investment to be given to Pertamina and PLN was very large.

"Investment decisions may be made by companies, but the government also has a grand strategy to bring this country to a goal that we all aspire to," added the President.

President Jokowi said the world is rapidly changing so that the big plans that are being carried out can change according to the circumstances. Therefore, the President hopes that foreign investment opportunities should be as wide open as possible.

"Once again the opportunity to invest in Pertamina, the opportunity to invest in PLN, is very wide open if you are open, open the door wide," said President Jokowi.

Also accompanying the President in the event were Minister of State Secretary Pratikno, Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Erick Thohir, and Minister of Investment/Head of BKPM Bahlil Lahadalia.