UK Spends IDR 135 Billion to Support Energy Transition in Indonesia
- Dok: ABB
Jakarta – The Indonesian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arifin Tasrif and the United Kingdom Minister for Energy Security and Clean Energy Graham Stuart have extended cooperation in the Indonesia-UK Towards Low Carbon Energy Transition (Mentari) program.
"The UK and Indonesia agreed to strengthen cooperation. In addition, the UK is also committed to increasing its support to Indonesia in achieving the Net Zero Emission (NZE) target," Minister Tasrif said at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Office, Jakarta, on Friday.
According to him, the Mentari program was scheduled to end in 2024. However, it is currently extended until 2027.
The United Kingdom will also provide additional funding of GBP 6.5 million or IDR 135 billion (assuming an exchange rate of IDR 20,700 per GBP), Minister Tasrif remarked.
Menteri Energi dan Sumber Daya Mineral (ESDM), Arifin Tasrif.
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He explained that Mentari is already a key partner working with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources. The goal is to improve renewable energy planning and procurement. Both for on-grid and off-grid applications, by prioritizing policies, recommendations, and technical studies.
"They have also investigated several low-carbon energy projects and implemented pilot projects in eastern Indonesia," he continued.
Furthermore, he said that in addition to the Mentari program, the United Kingdom also actively supports Indonesia through various programs. According to him, this includes the Just Energy Transitions Partnership (JETP) and the Joint Economic And Trade Committee (JETCO).
"We project this partnership will continue to grow, promoting technical cooperation, sustainable trade, and green investment between the two countries,"
As information, the Mentari Program is implemented in the 2020-2024 period and is a follow-up to the MoU between the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the field of Low Carbon Energy Development (LCEP) Cooperation.
The implementation time of the MENTARI Program underwent an addendum for three years, from the original 2020-2024 period to 2020-2027, as well as the addition of a Steering Board, namely the Head of the ESDM Human Resources Development Agency (BPSDM).