Until 2020, the achievement of the Renewable Energy mix is still in the range of 9-10% of the 23 percent target in 2025. To catch up to another 13 percent shortfall is not an easy matter because it requires extra synergy and coordination between ministries starting from the budget and program synchronization. However, it seems that this target is only a burden and responsibility for the ESDM ministry. Not to mention the global covid-19 disaster which limits the space for movement and slows down the pace of work.
Utilization of solar energy such as solar panels has been tested as one of the fastest technology options used to catch up with renewable energy penetration rates in various countries in the world. This is due to the lower price, easier and faster installation, and very low operating and maintenance costs. Naturally, most countries are competing to use this technology, so that the world’s largest solar panel producer, China, continues to ramp up its production to control nearly 70% of the world market, flooding developing countries. This means that the higher the use of solar panels in a country, the higher the dependence on other countries that produce them.
In the perspective of the industrialized state making renewable energy technology, developing countries are lucrative markets, apart from having no domestic technological products, their population is large and access to electricity facilities is still uneven. In addition, the potential for renewable energy in developing countries is considered large because on average they are located in tropical areas which have a longer duration of solar radiation, as well as wind energy in several locations which is quite promising, especially the extraordinary geothermal potential but still minimal use. This market niche then becomes their economic target, where mastery of energy technology, especially the conversion of electrical energy, is the key word.
Thus the industrialized countries have several advantages at the same time in the use of renewable energy, namely first they produce this technology to be sold to other countries, which in turn will increase their state income. Second, using this technology to meet their own domestic electricity needs, with the aim of reducing the use of fossil energy they import from other countries. This is also reinforced by the accelerated pace of switching from fuel-powered cars to electric cars, the results of a 2015 study in the UK showed that the use of electric cars could cut petroleum imports there by 40% and reduce carbon emissions by 47% by 2030.
Then what is the role of developing countries in utilizing this renewable energy? As a simple example, in the PLTS (Solar Power Generation) system which consists of solar panel technology, inverters and batteries, none of the three components of the technology have been mastered by us to become a product to date. Even though the simple PLTS system or SHS / Solar Home System has been implemented in Indonesia since 20-30 years ago in remote villages. Inverter technology is still dominated by German and Chinese products, as well as batteries. One country in Asia that deserves an example is India, where renewable energy technology penetration has reached 36 percent of the total installed electric power capacity in 2018. What’s even more amazing is that India has succeeded in making solar energy products, which are exported to foreign countries. Then how about Indonesia ?
Another fact, based on the results of a survey we conducted from 1,000 respondents who live in Jabodetabek, it shows that 85% of respondents want to install a roof PLTS and 66% of respondents believe that a roof PLTS can reduce their monthly electricity bills. However, the community still finds it difficult to obtain clear and reliable information and consultation. Evidently, the number of houses that have installed rooftop solar panels is still below 0.1% (zero point one percent) of the total PLN customers in the household sector in DKI Jakarta. It should be that PLN as an electricity operator can take a more serious role in carrying out Rooftop PV mini-grid services, just as PLN offers the convenience of a program to add electric power to the wider community. But there are also those who argue that the Java-Bali electricity is already over-supplied, this statement is true, but most of the electricity supply comes from fossil energy, which has limited and polluting sources. Or those who argue that the value of electricity from solar panels fluctuates due to intermittent solar radiation. This does not need to be overly concerned because there are already many experiences from other countries that are able to overcome this risk, one of which is the application of smart grid technology and the maturity of planning for determining the location and capacity of the PLTS appropriately.
From the description above, it can be seen that there is a desire of the community, especially those who live in cities, to use solar panels, this number will continue to increase with the flow of information, the decline in technology prices, the involvement of banks to provide loan assistance and the most important thing is that PLN is proactive in promoting rooftop solar power plants. This market that will continue to grow, of course, must be carefully anticipated by the government, of course, not by relying on imported products alone, but by preparing domestic products. Therefore, a more realistic revision of the renewable energy mix target is needed to be achieved, namely around 14-18 percent. This is important for relaxing the burden on the minds of policy makers in order to prepare big steps, namely the recoordination of all parties in drafting new strategies and roadmaps of renewable energy technology as superior domestic products. So that Indonesia can pioneer local products based on joint research between universities, industry and associations. Quality imported products are of course still needed to catch up with the remaining targets, and can be used as a medium of learning, hone experience and improve skills and deepen understanding of current renewable energy technologies.
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By :
Dr.-Ing Eko Adhi Setiawan
Director of Tropical Renewable Energy Center Faculty of Engineering Universitas Indonesia and
Kaprodi S2 Energy System Engineering Universitas Indonesia