Abstract
In this paper, we conclude that Indonesia has vast potential for generating and balancing solar photovoltaic (PV) energy to meet future energy needs at a competitive cost. We systematically analyse renewable energy potential in Indonesia. Solar PV is identified to be an energy source whose technical, environmental and economic potential far exceeds Indonesia’s present and future energy requirements and is far larger than all other renewable energy resources combined. We estimate that electricity consumption in Indonesia could reach 9000 terawatt-hours per year by 2050, which is 30 times larger than at present. Indonesia has abundant space to deploy enough solar to meet this requirement, including on rooftops, inland reservoirs, mining wasteland, and in combination with agriculture. Importantly, Indonesia has a vast maritime area that almost never experiences strong winds or large waves that could host floating solar capable of generating >200,000 terawatt-hours per year. Indonesia also has far more off-river pumped hydro energy storage potential than required for balancing solar generation.
Highlights
The purpose of this paper is to systematically analyse the potential of Indonesia to generate enough renewable energy to be energy self-sufficient
The novelty of this paper is a systematic analysis of the amount of solar energy that could be harvested in Indonesia, showing that it is far larger than previous studies and far larger than potential demand
We estimate that the upper bound area of PV systems required to meet all of Indonesia’s energy requirements in 2050 is 35,000 km2 (100 m2 per person), with a nameplate power capacity of 7 TW and generating 9000 TWh per year. This is times larger than current electricity consumption. This upper bound estimate includes continued population growth; per capita energy consumption rising to match consumption in neighbouring Singapore and Australia; complete solar electrification causing complete displacement of all fossil fuel use including in transport, heating, and industry; and negligible contributions from other low-emission sources such as wind, hydro, bio, nuclear, and geothermal energy
Summary
The purpose of this paper is to systematically analyse the potential of Indonesia to generate enough renewable energy to be energy self-sufficient. This includes both and in several decades time when Indonesian per capita energy consumption may rise to match the developed world. It includes the electricity required for the elimination of fossil fuels via full electrification of transport, heating, and industry. The current electricity demand of 1.1 Megawatt-hour (MWh) per person per year is projected to rise to 7 MWh per person per year in the two decades [2], mainly due to rising living standards. Electricity demand in Singapore is 9 MWh per person per year [3,4]
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