Training professionals to boost clean energy in Indonesia

Renewable energy is the way forward for power hungry Indonesia

Indonesia ranks high on the list of energy consumers, on par with countries such as South Africa and Australia but with a vastly larger population. To support population growth and ongoing development, power supply in Indonesia will need to double or even triple in the next 10 years.

While most of the existing energy is based on fossil fuels, over the past years renewable energy technologies have reached a tipping point and are now so attractive that clean energy is the way forward. Renewable energy brings many opportunities.

As a growth engine it stimulates local businesses and creates large scale employment. As an emission reduction option it keeps the Paris Agreement climate goals within reach. For powering development in off-grid and remote areas, it is often the most suitable choice. Especially relevant today, renewable energy can play a significant role in green recovery from the global COVID-19 crisis.

The energy potential is there, but skills and knowledge need a considerable push

Indonesia has a vast renewable energy potential, with an estimated total of 420 GW. To date however, only a small portion is being used, resulting in a 7% share of renewables in the Indonesian energy mix. This is in stark contrast with the domestic 23% target (for 2025), which would require about half of all new capacity to be based on renewables from now on.

However, both industry and government have signalled that a lack of skilled and trained personnel is one of the main barriers towards scaling up renewable energy. Their message is clear: without qualified personnel and access to knowledge and experience, Indonesia will not be able to fully benefit from the job and business opportunities waiting around the corner.

PNB and TNO collaborate on Bali-based centre of excellence and training

Against this background, TNO and the Politeknik Negeri Bali (PNB) with support from the Regional Government of Indonesia (Bali Province Government) have decided to collaborate on a masterplan for a training centre for renewable energy on the island of Bali.

This training centre will provide vocational education, training and certification. The target audience includes energy industry professionals (e.g. operators, installations companies) and government officials involved in energy system planning and implementation. The Dutch Embassy and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency are supporting the project actively.

The current status of the project

The first step in establishing a renewable energy training centre, is the development of a Masterplan and business model. PNB and TNO will be developing these in close dialogue with Indonesian stakeholders, based on international requirements, standards, and good practices. It offers a direct contribution to green recovery and job creation, and a model for the future replication across the archipelago in support of strengthening Indonesia’s knowledge infrastructure and overall prosperity.