Solar Revolution Hub

Worldwide, solar energy has grown rapidly in the last decade. Data from IRENA  (2019 and 2018) shows that global cumulative installed PV capacity increased from 14.7 gigawatts (GW) at the end of 2008 to 480.4 GW by the end of 2018. This represents approximately 466 GW of global net capacity addition during the ten-year period – 17 GW more of global net capacity addition from wind (both on and offshore) in the same period.

Observing this trend closely, IESR believes that solar energy (i.e., solar PV technology) also plays a significant role in the low carbon energy transition process in Indonesia. We expect that the technology can be the first mover, among other technologies, to achieve the economies of scale of RE technology in the country. For this reason, the Solar Revolution Hub is created: to promote the acceleration of solar deployment in Indonesia. Since 2016, IESR has been advocating this issues in specific and at large, as well as being active in Indonesia Solar Association (ISA/AESI) since its early establishment. In 2017, IESR supported numerous multistakeholders forum on solar energy; which then led to ‘One Million Rooftop Solar PV Initiative’ (OMRSI).

The initiative was launched on 13 September 2017, declared by fourteen signatories including Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Ministry of Industry, Indonesia Solar Association, and IESR. OMRSI aims to achieve 1 GW cumulative installed capacity of rooftop solar by 2020. The symbolic number reflects Indonesia’s first gigawatt order of renewables, and it is expected to boost the effort to reach National Energy Policy target (23% renewables in national energy mix). As mandated in the policy and based on IESR analyses, solar deployment in Indonesia should focus first on rooftop solar use; as it is easily deployed (modular) and can cover diverse type of buildings: housing, public facilities, office and government buildings, commercial buildings, and industrial complexes. Through Solar Revolution Hub, IESR is working to engage other potential partners, develop a platform for solar PV marketplace, create solar initiatives, and identify suitable financing mechanisms for solar deployment, both for large-scale and rooftop solar application.