No one is spared the effects of global warming but there is much that countries like Indonesia and Singapore can do together to absorb the shocks along the journey to a world of lower carbon emissions.
One prominent bump on the road right now is causing blackouts and fuel shortages from China to Europe as countries try to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels to nascent low carbon energy sources. At the recent Singapore International Energy Week, the Minister of Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong spoke of the importance of making a success of this global energy transition to Singapore.
Indonesia has a role to play as Singapore shifts to renewable energy sources such as solar, water, wind or geothermal power.
By 2035, Singapore plans to import around 4GW of electricity from clean energy. One way is by getting 100MW of solar energy from Pulau Bulan in Indonesia.
The cooperation between Indonesia and Singapore in the development of clean energy will provide more optimal benefits from renewable energy and increase joint capacity as part of global commitments to battle climate change.
Our partnership could provide a starting point for broader cooperation among Asean countries. The development of renewable energy cannot be borne by one country alone. Indonesia, for example, needs an investment of around S$1 trillion to make the energy transition to? ( correct?) clean energy.
As can be seen from the examples elsewhere around the world, energy transition is no easy task – it needs to be carried out in a calibrated and careful manner, taking into consideration factors such as reliability, sustainability and affordability. In the rush to cut carbon emissions without properly setting in place an alternative source of reliable power, economies are at risk of taking a hit because of energy shortfalls.
Moreover, the ability to develop renewable energy varies with every country, in terms of its technological capability to obtain alternative energy and how easy it is for its people to access it.
Indonesia’s Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arifin Tasrif has stressed the need for a smoother energy transition and to avoid supply disruptions, as this would affect the people. What’s more the negative impact of a disruptive transition could affect discussions on joint efforts to wean the world off fossil fuels at the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland.
Indonesia’s efforts
Indonesia’s position is very clear: It is part of the global effort in the battle against climate change.
The government is committed to a target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by up to 29 per cent through its own efforts and by 41 per cent with international support by 2030.
Indonesia’s efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions have begun with the reduction in the rate of deforestation. In the 2019-2020 period, the rate decreased by 75 per cent, or 115.5 thousand hectares, compared to the 462.5 thousand hectares in the 2018-2019 period.
President Joko Widodo is active in conservation efforts: Last month (Oct), together with visiting European Union ambassadors, he planted mangroves in North Kalimantan. Another of Indonesia’s big contributions is the preservation of coral reefs throughout its waters. Its joint protection efforts help ensure the survival of coral reefs, which are being threatened by rising temperatures and sea levels.
The energy sector is also not lagging behind in efforts to reduce emissions. Reducing the greenhouse effect will not be sustainable without a reduction in gas emissions from the use of fuel. Bioenergy is now being used to reduce emissions from the energy sector, and also in land and air transportation.
There are many options in Indonesia for the development of renewable energy – from solar, wind, water, geothermal, and also underwater currents of the sea, which makes up two-thirds of Indonesia’s territory.
The pilot project, expected to be commissioned by 2024, to export 100MW of solar energy from a solar farm in Pulau Bulan to a power station in Singapore is an initiative in this transition to cleaner energy. It is not impossible for Indonesia to meet Singapore’s need for 4GW of electricity eventually.
With the abundance of natural resources at its disposal, Indonesia should be able to meet energy needs for not just its domestic use but for export as well.
