Jakarta, October 13, 2025 – Many regions in Indonesia, especially those in remote and island areas, still face limited electricity supply. This condition creates development disparities between urban and rural areas. In some villages, communities still rely on fossil fuels such as diesel, which are expensive and not always consistently available. 

To address these challenges, the government, together with other stakeholders, has promoted Energy Independent Villages as a strategic measure. Energy Independent Villages are villages that are able to meet their energy needs independently by utilizing sustainable local resources, such as solar power, water, biomass, or wind. This approach encourages villages to become energy independent without having to wait for supplies from outside the region. 

In response to this, Fabby Tumiwa, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Institute for Essential Services Reform (IESR), explained that when energy resources in villages are optimized properly, the community can enjoy many benefits. Most importantly, villages can obtain clean, sustainable, and affordable energy. 

“Generating renewable energy in remote areas is actually cheaper than generating electricity using diesel fuel,” said Fabby in the program Energy Self-Sufficiency Through Independent Energy Villages which aired on TV ONE on Sunday (12/10).   

In addition to benefiting the community, Fabby said that the development of renewable energy also benefits the government. By switching from fossil fuels to local energy sources, electricity production costs have become lower. This has a direct impact on reducing the burden of electricity subsidies that the government has been providing due to the high production costs of fossil fuels. 

“Another benefit is continuous and affordable access to electricity, which encourages productive economic activity in villages. When communities have a reliable electricity supply, it creates jobs in villages that can increase income and have a greater economic impact. In addition, the teaching and learning process in schools can be improved,” said Fabby. 

According to Fabby, the availability of electricity also has a major impact on the quality of life of rural communities. Elementary schools and other educational institutions can utilize learning technologies that require electricity, thereby improving the quality of education in villages.