With a large population strung across more than 6,000 small islands, Indonesia's electricity infrastructure faces particular challenges. Around1.5mn people in remote areas are still living without any connection to theelectricity grid and are dependent on diesel engines to generate power. Meanwhile, the global energy crisis means diesel is becoming increasinglyunaffordable.
Indonesia’s energy supplies are currently 88% reliant on fossil fuels and anumber of new (and controversial) coal-fired power stations, but thepopulation still remains subject to power cuts and shortages. The Indonesia National Energy Policy includes a target for 23% of the country’s total energysupply to come from renewable sources by 2030 (and be net zero by 2060). However, the costs of transformation for a nation where 76% of its surfacearea is ocean are daunting. Offshore wind turbines have already beendismissed as being too expensive for many locations.
A new joint venture between the UK and Indonesia, Solar2Wave, is aiming toprovide an easier, lower cost, long-term solution to the energy dilemma. Theyear-long project will see robust testing of floating photovoltaic solar farms(FPV), funded with £300,000 by the Innovate UK Energy Catalyst scheme.Led by researchers at Cranfield University and UK SME Achelous Energy, the partners in Indonesia include Pattimura University, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, Orela Shipyard and Gerbang Multindo Nusantara.