Envoy to COP29 says Indonesia will build 75 GW renewable energy within 15 years.

Indonesia will offer international investors the opportunity to build 75 gigawatts of renewable energy in the country within the next 15-year period, said its climate envoy on the sidelines the COP29 summit.

Hashim Djojohadikusumo is Prabowo’s brother, and Indonesia’s envoy at the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2024 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Indonesia, which is one of the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases in the world, has committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2030, by replacing coal-fired plants with renewable energy sources.

Hashim, in a live-streamed address on Monday, said that the new administration will implement 100 GW in new energy in the next 15 year, with 75% or 75 GW being renewable energy.

Hashim did not elaborate on the plans for the 25 GW remaining.

Indonesia has a current installed capacity of more than 90 GW. More than half is powered by coal, and less than 15 % by renewables. The country currently does not have any nuclear power, which is controversial in a land prone to earthquakes.

According to a statement from the company, Darmawan Prasodjo, chief executive of Indonesia's state power utility Perusahaan Listrik Negara, said that a new, green transmission line would span 70,000 km (43 500 miles).

Analysts have noted that Indonesian authorities often promote the country's renewable energy potential. However, due to coal subsidies, renewable tariffs are not attractive for investors.

Hashim said in his speech that Indonesia intends to offer carbon-offset projects, which could remove hundreds millions of tons of carbon emissions from the atmosphere. He did not go into detail about these projects.

Hashim added that Bezos Earth Fund - Jeff Bezos’ $10 billion green fund - was also interested in the project.

Bezos Earth Fund has said that it is not committing to any specific programs in Indonesia, although it did have discussions with leaders "to understand Indonesia's priorities on nature." (Reporting and editing by Gayatri Sroyo, Lincoln Feast, and Stanley Widianto)

(source: Reuters)