Denpasar, May 21, 2025 – The Institute for Essential Services Reform (IESR) in collaboration with the Bali Province Manpower and Energy and Mineral Resources Office held the Bali Energy Exploration, an event to explore the potential and implementation of renewable energy on the Island of the Gods. The Bali Energy Exploration was held from Tuesday, May 20-24, 2025, and was attended by 38 participants consisting of academics, communities, and journalists.

The Head of the Bali Province Manpower and Energy and Mineral Resources Office (ESDM), I.B. Setiawan, said that the Bali Energy Exploration was an event to gain a deeper understanding of various aspects related to renewable energy, including the involvement or participation of local communities and also the socio-political conditions in Bali that influence the development of renewable energy.

“The responsibility to realize Bali as a quality, sustainable world tourism destination based on clean energy or renewable energy must be carried out by all parties, including the Central Government, Province, Regency and City, various stakeholders, communities and customs. Through synergy and collaboration, the Bali Provincial Government together with CORE Udayana and IESR are preparing the Bali NZE 2045 Roadmap. Currently, through IESR assistance, the Bali Provincial Government also has a 100 percent Renewable Energy Roadmap in Nusa Penida by 2030. The implementation of this roadmap certainly requires community involvement and support from many parties,” said Setiawan.

The Coordinator of the Bali Net Zero Emission (NZE) 2045 Program, Muhamad Yudistira Rahayu, stated that the Bali Energy Tour was carried out to show firsthand how the energy transition is implemented in the field. This program not only presents discussions in formal spaces, but invites the community and stakeholders to witness real practices of clean energy utilization in various regions in Bali.

“In Bali, the energy transition has a broader meaning than just reducing emissions. This process also aims to protect the tourism sector to remain sustainable, create new jobs, and ensure that communities have control over their own energy sources. In this way, Bali not only preserves its environment, but also strengthens regional and community resilience to increasingly real climate change,” said Yudistira.

On the first day, the Bali Energy Exploration team visited the 100 kWp Floating Solar Power Plant in Muara Reservoir, Pemogan, Denpasar City, the Sensatia Botanicals Solar Power Plant and the Padma Resort Legian Solar Power Plant.

Clean Energy Innovation in Muara Reservoir

The 100 kWp Floating Solar Power Plant in Muara Reservoir is one of the pilot projects in an effort to support the clean energy transition towards Net Zero Emission (NZE) 2045. This solar power plant began construction ahead of the G20 Summit as a form of a showcase for Indonesia’s renewable energy. Senior Manager of PLN Indonesia Power UBP Bali, I Made Harta Yasa said that the energy generated by the solar panels at the G20 showcase location is directly connected to the PLN electricity network, so that the electricity can be used directly by the community.

“Operationally, this system is running normally. We distribute around 100 kWp to the PLN network, which is then supplied to around 100 customers. At the Muara Nusa Dua Reservoir Floating Solar Power Plant, 228 solar panel modules have currently been installed. However, considering the potential area of ​​the reservoir which is still large, it is possible that the number of panels will be increased in the future to increase power capacity,” explained Harta Yasa.

Harta Yasa emphasized that the durability of the 100 kWp Muara Reservoir Floating Solar Power Plant is maintained thanks to routine maintenance, even though it has to face challenges such as weather conditions. In addition, officers periodically ensure that there is no interference from garbage or animals that could hinder the performance of the panel.

“This floating solar power plant offers many advantages, such as utilizing unused land above the water, and does not interfere with the activities of the surrounding community, including fishermen. In fact, its construction and operation involve local workers and maintain collaboration with local residents to ensure the cleanliness of the reservoir is maintained,” said Harta Yasa.

The Sun Shines from the Business Sector

The spirit of energy transition is not only burning in the public sector, but also echoing from the business world. In the series of South Sumatra Energy Exploration, the group had the opportunity to review two clean energy initiatives from the private sector: PLTS Padma Resort Legian and PLTS Sensatia Botanicals, two real examples of how businesses take an active role in supporting renewable energy.

Suhedi Prawoto, Assistant Chief Engineer of Padma Resort said that PLTS Padma Resort Legian has three locations for installing solar panels, namely in the transportation area, the machine room (pool room), and the main building with a capacity of 388.1 kWp. A total of 712 solar panels are spread across the three locations.

“This system is capable of supplying up to 70% of the energy needs in the area. The use of solar energy is utilized to support laundry operations in the parking area, AC in the pool room, and the operation of several rooms and lifts in the main building,” he said.

According to Suhedi, the reason behind installing solar panels is not only related to energy efficiency, but is also part of the company’s policy that requires each property to provide space for renewable energy installations. The goal is to support the government’s program in using clean energy.

“The contribution of PLTS reaches around 4-7 percent of the total daily electricity consumption, and up to 10 percent during the hot day, with the potential for electricity cost savings of tens of millions of rupiah per month,” he said.

Meanwhile, at Sensatia Botanicals, a local skincare producer from Bali, PLTS is used to support an environmentally friendly production process. Kunti Puspita Sari, Sales and Marketing Manager, Sensatia Botanicals stated that her party has carried out various initiatives that focus on sustainability and reducing environmental impact. For example, in 2024, her party has succeeded in recycling 65,000 bottles through the “Bring Back Your Empties” program.

“Not only that, more than 60 percent of the Sensatia team comes from Karangasem, Bali, which is where the company was founded, demonstrating our commitment to empowering local communities. We have also replaced up to 70% of non-renewable energy use with solar power across all operations as an effort to switch to clean energy,” said Kunti.

Furthermore, Kunti stated that her party has also used a PLTS system of 78 units with a capacity of 575Wp per panel, equipped with a 40 kW hybrid inverter and 8 Deye lithium-ion batteries with a capacity of 5.12 kWh each. This system has a battery storage capacity of 41 kWh and a total capacity of 45 kWp for solar panels.

“With this system, we are able to produce an average daily electricity of 197 kWh and save electricity costs of up to around IDR 107,500,000 per year. In addition, this effort also contributes to reducing carbon emissions by 47.5 tons of CO2 each year,” explained Kunti.