Access to quality energy is a right of the community. With quality energy access that can provide electricity for 24 hours with stable voltage, economic activities can be carried out to improve the welfare of the community.

This achievement figure needs to be further scrutinized to ensure that the energy access received by the community can meet basic services such as education and health, as well as drive economic activities. Quality energy access that can meet these needs is important to ensure that through the energy received, the community can become more empowered and self-sufficient.

The geographical situation of Indonesia, which is largely separated by natural landscapes such as mountainous areas, coastlines, or archipelagos, poses a challenge in energy provision. The current energy system in Indonesia still relies on a centralized energy supply model, which is then distributed through transmission networks. This type of energy supply model carries the risk of disrupting the entire system if there is a disturbance in any part of the transmission, as occurred in June 2024 in Sumatra.
This situation in Indonesia requires a decentralized energy generation approach by utilizing the potential of local energy sources.

Renewable energy-based power plants, such as solar energy, are a potential choice to strengthen access in Indonesia due to their potential reaching 3,000-20,000 GWp. From the consumer's perspective, the use of new renewable energy (EBET) is very important. YLKI states that the use of renewable energy is one form of consumer responsibility to realize sustainable consumption patterns. (sustainable consumption).

"One of the available and easily accessible EBET sources for consumers is solar energy. YLKI encourages all parties to create a conducive policy and regulatory climate, so that the public can easily access and install solar energy to meet their energy needs," explained Tulus Abadi, Chairman of the Daily Management Board of YLKI during the Focused Group Discussion on PLTS in Consumer Opinion: Direction, Challenges, Current and Future Support, organized by the Indonesian Consumer Foundation (YLKI) in collaboration with IESR and Koaksi Indonesia.

In addition to building an ecosystem that supports the growth of renewable energy, including solar energy, and providing access to information for the public to independently utilize renewable energy, support for energy policies must continue to be promoted. Marlistya Citraningrum, Manager of the Sustainable Energy Access Program at IESR, mentioned that solar energy is a democratic source of energy.

"From various examples of solar energy development in Indonesia, there are four important notes to ensure its sustainable impact, namely (1) user and impact-oriented, (2) identification of systems that fit the local context, (3) continuous support for communities and society, and (4) professional management," said Citra. In addition, mapping innovative financing sources needs to be done to ensure that the development needs of solar energy are realized optimally. For example, village funds, community self-help contributions, and corporate social responsibility programs (CSR).

Public education for the development of solar power plants also needs serious attention. The lack of public knowledge about this sustainable energy information will certainly correlate with demand, so educational efforts are needed through various mediums with easily understandable language.

"Based on a survey conducted by Koaksi Indonesia in 2019, it was found that 64% of respondents had seen renewable energy technology, but did not find it relevant to their daily lives," said Fitrianti Sofyan, Communication and Campaign Manager at Koaksi Indonesia. Rahmi Handayani, Vice President of Sales at PT PLN (Persero), explained that the increase in rooftop solar power customers reflects the public's interest in using solar energy.

From 2018 to 2024, the number of rooftop solar power customers increased 15 times, from 609 to 9,324 customers. In terms of capacity, it also increased from 2 MWp in 2018 to 197 MWp in 2024, or an increase of 98 times. "Public interest in rooftop solar power is also high. It is evident from the rooftop solar quota in July 2024, which was sold out by 88 percent or 901 MWp," said Rahmi.

There is potential for utilizing solar energy in various conditions. The trend of adopting rooftop solar power plants has also shown significant growth in the past 5 years. Collaboration among various parties involving the government, civil society organizations, and relevant stakeholders to educate and assist the community in utilizing solar energy is needed.

Source:https://m.jpnn.com/news/meningkatkan-kualitas-akses-energi-di-indonesia-dengan-tenaga-surya