The Sustainable Energy Access Program focuses on public policy advocacy works, including research and public campaign, to promote the universal provision of just, inclusive, and sustainable energy access in Indonesia; the term access refers to high quality energy provision capable of driving productive activities beyond basic services.

Modern energy access allows people to carry out activities with the purpose of generating or increasing their income. Beyond the basic needs for daily activities, that often tend to be consumptive in nature, the provision of energy is a driving force for productive activities; whether on a household scale, in the case of small and medium enterprises, and on a large scale. Access to energy is also important for education and health services. With better education and health, more windows of opportunity are opened, including opportunities to get a job or to an entrepreneurship.

Indonesia, with its rapid economic growth, currently still faces challenges to provide equitable and inclusive energy access to its 260 billion of citizens. Most of Indonesia’s energy needs are fulfilled with fossil fuels; in power sector, more than 50% of its generation is coal-based. With the impact of global warming and the shift in global energy landscape, Indonesia has been slow in transitioning to low-carbon energy system. Indonesia has high potential and diverse sources of renewable energy, and these renewables can be utilized to meet Indonesia’s energy needs. As the sources spread across Indonesia, energy decentralization approach can be one of feasible solution to geographical challenge in providing energy access. The challenge is one important issues to address for archipelagic countries such as Indonesia.

In addition to providing energy access for regions that currently lack access, renewables can be an energy source of choice to people with access to energy. Photovoltaic technology, the use of solar energy for electricity, is now growing rapidly and is widely used by homeowners in the form of rooftop solar. Transitioning to renewables, in a diverse scale and with different renewable energy sources, has become a global trend along with awareness of the impact of climate change caused by fossil fuels and the rising movement of sustainable lifestyles.