The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) continues to promote community-based new and renewable energy (NRE) development programs that can support the local economy. Director General of New, Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Dadan Kusdiana, said that optimizing innovation in the clean energy utilization ecosystem must be carried out not only to pursue the energy transition, but also to improve people's welfare in an inclusive manner. "We encourage a combination of electricity and economic activities. In the past, there was an Energy Independent Village program, now we encourage it in several locations," he said at a national seminar entitled Patriot Energi 2022 which was monitored in Jakarta, Monday. Dadan said the development of community-based clean energy that supports the local economy can take the form of green stuns for fisheries, green stuns for agriculture, rooftop solar power plants for refrigerator facilities, to pilot electric boat projects and solar-powered electric boat battery charging stations. With the existence of new and renewable energy that supports the local economy, the program is able to provide decent work and worker protection as the transition to clean energy can reduce barriers and offer job opportunities for communities by optimizing their capacities. In addition, green stun can also increase social and economic development because innovation and energy development open up opportunities to improve social welfare while alleviating energy poverty. Then, the development of new community-based renewable energy can also guarantee equality, social inclusion, and justice because energy development promotes community inclusiveness by emphasizing that no one will be left behind. Clean energy and innovation also encourage community collaboration and collaboration in many aspects, including decision making, providing trust, and so on. Dadan revealed that one of the community-based new renewable energy development projects that supports the local economy is located in Tepal Village, Sumbawa, West Nusa Tenggara.
In 2009, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources together with the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs built a micro-hydro power plant with a capacity of 25 kilowatts and 40 kilowatts, respectively. All of these power plants operate 24 hours a day and provide electricity to 339 homes, five public facilities, 20 kiosks, and seven productive workshops, including coffee processing machines. The green stun produced from the water allows farmers to process coffee beans, package processed products, and generate sales of coffee products at 900 percent higher prices. "Micro hydro, I think this is one of the attractive options because the electricity can be used as a base load, 24 hours of life, many activities can be created from these activities," said Dadan.
