Enviro News Asia, Bandung — Vice Chairman of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR RI) from the National Mandate Party (PAN), Eddy Soeparno, emphasized that accelerating Indonesia’s transition to renewable energy must serve as a national industrialization strategy that directly benefits domestic industries and creates new green jobs for skilled workers.
He delivered the statement during the MPR Goes to Campus program at the Graduate School of Environmental Science and Sustainability Science, Universitas Padjadjaran. The postgraduate campus marked the 43rd stop in the nationwide MPR Goes to Campus initiative spearheaded by Eddy.
Speaking before more than 200 graduate students, Eddy highlighted Indonesia’s strategic comparative advantage, noting that the country possesses renewable energy potential reaching thousands of gigawatts. This includes significant capacity from solar, hydropower, wind, bioenergy, and geothermal sources, although current utilization remains far below its maximum potential.
He further underscored Indonesia’s strength in critical minerals such as nickel and copper, which are essential for electric vehicle batteries, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), and renewable energy infrastructure. Eddy argued that if these supply chains are processed and manufactured domestically, the renewable energy transition could become a major engine of national economic growth.
Renewable Energy Transition and Green Job Opportunities
Eddy stated that the implementation of the Electricity Supply Business Plan (RUPTL) 2025–2034 could generate more than 1.7 million green jobs and contribute between 0.1 and 0.7 percent to annual GDP growth.
He explained that green employment opportunities would range from engineers, technicians, battery specialists, solar panel manufacturers, and BESS operators to researchers and innovation experts. He encouraged Indonesian youth to take leading roles in the clean energy transition rather than remain passive participants.
According to Eddy, the RUPTL 2025–2034 outlines plans to add 69.5 gigawatts of installed capacity, with 42.6 gigawatts sourced from renewable energy and an additional 10.3 gigawatts from BESS. The total required investment through 2034 is estimated at approximately USD 190 billion, or around USD 19 billion annually.
He described the USD 190 billion investment projection as a major industrialization opportunity and urged policymakers to ensure Indonesia becomes an attractive destination for renewable energy investment. He questioned whether Indonesia would merely serve as a market for imported solar panels, batteries, and turbines, or instead position itself as a domestic producer.
Eddy also stressed the importance of integrating nature-based solutions with engineered-based solutions to strengthen national energy and economic resilience. With substantial carbon reserves from forests, mangroves, and peatlands, alongside significant potential for carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCS/CCUS), Indonesia can develop an integrated low-carbon economic ecosystem.
He concluded by calling on universities and graduate students to play strategic roles in policy formulation and technological innovation. He urged campuses to become centers for research, innovation, and green industry incubation, ensuring that the renewable energy transition benefits domestic industries and expands green employment opportunities for Indonesians. (*)
