Indonesia, UK firms explore off-grid solutions for village electricity and cold chains

Villages and Underdeveloped Regions Minister Yandri Susanto on Thursday received a delegation of 15 UK-based chief executives from energy and technology innovators to explore cooperation aimed at accelerating rural electrification and village development across Indonesia.

“We want this collaboration to produce solutions that can genuinely be used in villages,” Yandri said in Jakarta on Thursday.

The delegation included executives from several leading UK energy and climate technology firms, such as Carruthers Renewables (off-grid micro-hydro), the Centre for Energy Equality (CEE), which focuses on inclusive energy solutions, Eja-Ice, which develops solar-powered cold-chain systems for food and health services, Propel and Power, which offers bladeless marine turbines for coastal areas, and Compact Syngas Solutions, which works on converting waste into energy.

Discussions centered on practical options for supplying electricity to remote rural areas and island communities, including the development of decentralized renewable energy systems, strengthening power supply for village-owned enterprises (BUMDes) and the Merah Putih Village Cooperatives, and supporting energy needs for food cold chains and essential village services.

Participants also discussed several pilot project schemes as an initial step toward on-the-ground implementation.

Yandri welcomed the CEOs’ visit, saying his ministry was open to working with any partner to advance village development.

“There are 75,266 villages, so we need collaboration to develop them,” he said.

He added that the ministry has 12 priority programs that could be pursued jointly with the UK innovators, including the “export village” initiative, which targets the creation of 5,000 export-oriented villages based on each village’s unique potential.

“We also have thematic village programs tailored to local strengths, designed to supply raw materials for government programs, including the Free Nutritious Meals program,” Yandri said.

Other initiatives include climate-resilient villages and zero-waste villages, with Yandri expressing hope that international cooperation would deliver tangible benefits for rural communities.

During the meeting, the CEOs said they were interested in collaborating with the ministry to support a number of programs under its 12-point action plan.

The audience was also part of the Innovate UK Energy Access Brokerage series in Indonesia, which connects UK innovators with national stakeholders to open up collaboration opportunities in rural electrification, renewable energy, and technology-based village economic development.

Indonesianpost.com | Antara