Bridging Climate Gaps in Rhode Island’s Electricity Planning: Insights from an Environmental Law Expert

Recent discussions about Indonesia’s electricity planning reveal gaps in its alignment with climate goals. Grita Anindarini, a Senior Strategist at the Indonesian Center for Environmental Law, pointed out that while the latest Electricity Supply Business Plan (RUPTL) shows some progress, it still doesn’t meet the country’s climate commitments.

Grita noted that past electricity plans often left State utility company PT PLN without clear guidance. “In previous years, PLN was somewhat lost due to lack of solid planning,” she said during a public event in Jakarta.

Despite improvements, the current RUPTL isn’t fully aligned with Indonesia’s climate objectives. Grita emphasized, “We are not there yet. Our national planning still needs to catch up with climate action.” Projections indicate that coal usage might continue until at least 2060, even as solutions like carbon capture are considered. “The discussions often rely on energy transition strategies that still endorse coal,” she explained.

Indonesia’s renewable energy share is also far behind what’s needed to meet international climate goals. According to studies from the International Energy Agency (IEA) and Climate Analytics, countries should aim for renewable energy shares of 57-79% by 2030. In contrast, Indonesia’s current target stands at only 28%. “This gap shows we are far from our goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius,” Grita noted.

There is some positive news, though. A few controversial coal plants, such as the Jawa 3 and Indramayu units, have been removed from the RUPTL. If they truly get canceled, it could prevent around 153 million tons of CO₂ emissions. However, Grita warned that even with these cancellations, Indonesia still needs to retire more coal plants. “From 2021 to 2023, we should have shut down 12 coal power plants to meet our climate targets, but we haven’t done that yet,” she said.

One alarming trend is the rise of hybrid coal-fired power plants, which combine coal with solar energy. “These new plants exploit regulatory loopholes under Presidential Regulation 112/2022 that allow new coal projects if they’re termed strategic,” Grita explained. This raises the question: Are these projects genuinely beneficial for the nation, or are they just a way to extend coal dependency?

The new RUPTL also makes a notable commitment to nuclear energy, proposing developments in Kalimantan and Sumatra. However, Grita warned about the environmental risks associated with nuclear waste, using Finland’s costly waste storage as an example. “Future generations will face the consequences of these decisions,” she said.

There are also concerns about the approach to co-firing biomass in coal plants. While PLN expects to need over 10 million tons of biomass by 2030, this demand has led to considerable deforestation. “This isn’t a viable climate solution if it harms our forests,” Grita pointed out. The current emissions accounting methods fail to account for the interconnected impacts of energy and forestry.

Despite ambitious targets like installing 42.6 GW of renewables by 2034, real progress has lagged. From 2021 to April 2025, only 1.8 GW of renewables were deployed. Grita highlighted hurdles like a lack of transparent procurement processes and insufficient risk-sharing between the government and investors. “We need policies that ensure renewables have guaranteed access to the grid,” she urged.

In summary, Grita called for a more coherent approach to integrating Indonesia’s climate policies with its electricity planning. “All commitments must align and be backed by credible action plans,” she concluded. This push is vital for the nation’s path toward a sustainable energy future.

Source link

Indonesia Business Post