UNDP and the MEMR Trained Residents of Remote Villages as the Off-Grid Solar-PV Power Plants Operator

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Human Resources Development Agency of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (BPSDM ESDM) held training and certification in the management of centralized solar power plants (PLTS) for 50 local operators from 23 outermost, leading and remote villages in East Nusa Tenggara, Southeast Sulawesi, West Sulawesi, and Central Kalimantan. The project conducted this training to prepare residents to operate and maintain communal solar power plants independently.

This activity is part of the Accelerating Clean Energy Access to Reduce Inequalities or ACCESS project, which is carried out to provide electricity for at least 20,000 people and clean water for 5,000 people in Indonesia and Timor-Leste. This project is a partnership between UNDP Indonesia and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources with funding support from The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), implemented from 2020 to 2023.

This training was held at the Center for Human Resources Development for Electricity, New Energy, Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation (PPSDM KEBTKE) Ciracas, East Jakarta, in March – June 2022. At the opening of the training, Laode Sulaeman, Head of PPSDM KEBTKE, stated that they held the first batch of training from 7 – March 16, 2022, and attended by 19 PLTS operators (10 men and nine women) from Southeast Sulawesi and Central Kalimantan. 

"The participants will participate in training on the PPSDM campus, field practice on Tunda Island, Banten Province, and end with certification on March 17-21, 2022." The training will involve lecturers from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, BRIN, USAID-SINAR, BUMDes Bersinar Desaku, as well as certification by PPSDM EBTKE.

This project will contribute to achieving 100% electrification by 2022. "In 2018, there were still 433 villages without electricity, and until last year we had achieved a national electrification ratio of 99.45% and 99.62% of electrified villages. This year is expected to be 100%," said Andriyah Feby Misna ST, MT, Director of Various New Energy and Renewable Energy MEMR. 

The government has implemented various strategies to provide access to electricity services in remote areas. MEMR is expanding the rural electricity network around the existing PLN distribution network, expanding the rural electricity network with off-grid for adjacent locations, and building charging stations for villages located far apart. "Since 2011, the government has built 719 units of PLTS/PLTMH with an off-grid system, but not all villages have received this special allocation fund, so the government is collaborating with donor partners, including ACCESS for the financing."

The challenge is that many solar power plants do not operate long enough because of the significant dependence on the government for their management and maintenance. "Solar-PV power plant investment is expensive, and with a lifespan of 20-25 years, many plants operated less than that. Educating local people so that they can operate and maintain and develop institutions in the village is the answer to this challenge."

Nikka Sasongko, Program Manager of KOICA Indonesia, appreciated this training as a guarantee of the sustainability of the benefits of the aid program provided by the Korean Government. Through the ACCESS project, KOICA provided a grant worth USD 18 million to develop rural electricity and clean water in Indonesia and Timor-Leste. "We hope that the participants will provide support so that PLTS can continue to benefit the community."

On the same occasion, Dr Agus Prabowo, Senior Management Advisor for Environment and Sustainable Energy UNDP Indonesia, stated, "Local operators are at the forefront of PLTS sustainability in villages to continue to use energy; therefore, capacity building and standards are critical." Through this project, UNDP hopes to achieve the target of Sustainable Development Goal Number 7, namely Clean and Affordable Energy, and then become a driver for achieving three other goals: 10th goal of Reducing Inequality, 1st Without Poverty, and 4th Quality Education.

In his opening remarks, Prahoro Yulijanto Nurtjahyo, PhD, Head of BPSDM, saw this training as a new standard in power plant management in the future. "This training will be the basis and a new milestone in a better future for energy development in Indonesia, because no matter how much assistance is given, in the end, competent human resources are always needed to operate it." He hopes all participants will become competent operators to maintain the reliability of the managed communal PLTS.

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Human Resources Development Agency of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (BPSDM ESDM) held training and certification in the management of centralized solar power plants (PLTS) for 50 local operators from 23 outermost, leading and remote villages in East Nusa Tenggara, Southeast Sulawesi, West Sulawesi, and Central Kalimantan. The project conducted this training to prepare residents to operate and maintain communal solar power plants independently.

This activity is part of the Accelerating Clean Energy Access to Reduce Inequalities or ACCESS project, which is carried out to provide electricity for at least 20,000 people and clean water for 5,000 people in Indonesia and Timor-Leste. This project is a partnership between UNDP Indonesia and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources with funding support from The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), implemented from 2020 to 2023.

This training was held at the Center for Human Resources Development for Electricity, New Energy, Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation (PPSDM KEBTKE) Ciracas, East Jakarta, in March – June 2022. At the opening of the training, Laode Sulaeman, Head of PPSDM KEBTKE, stated that they held the first batch of training from 7 – March 16, 2022, and attended by 19 PLTS operators (10 men and nine women) from Southeast Sulawesi and Central Kalimantan. 

"The participants will participate in training on the PPSDM campus, field practice on Tunda Island, Banten Province, and end with certification on March 17-21, 2022." The training will involve lecturers from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, BRIN, USAID-SINAR, BUMDes Bersinar Desaku, as well as certification by PPSDM EBTKE.

This project will contribute to achieving 100% electrification by 2022. "In 2018, there were still 433 villages without electricity, and until last year we had achieved a national electrification ratio of 99.45% and 99.62% of electrified villages. This year is expected to be 100%," said Andriyah Feby Misna ST, MT, Director of Various New Energy and Renewable Energy MEMR. 

The government has implemented various strategies to provide access to electricity services in remote areas. MEMR is expanding the rural electricity network around the existing PLN distribution network, expanding the rural electricity network with off-grid for adjacent locations, and building charging stations for villages located far apart. "Since 2011, the government has built 719 units of PLTS/PLTMH with an off-grid system, but not all villages have received this special allocation fund, so the government is collaborating with donor partners, including ACCESS for the financing."

The challenge is that many solar power plants do not operate long enough because of the significant dependence on the government for their management and maintenance. "Solar-PV power plant investment is expensive, and with a lifespan of 20-25 years, many plants operated less than that. Educating local people so that they can operate and maintain and develop institutions in the village is the answer to this challenge."

Nikka Sasongko, Program Manager of KOICA Indonesia, appreciated this training as a guarantee of the sustainability of the benefits of the aid program provided by the Korean Government. Through the ACCESS project, KOICA provided a grant worth USD 18 million to develop rural electricity and clean water in Indonesia and Timor-Leste. "We hope that the participants will provide support so that PLTS can continue to benefit the community."

On the same occasion, Dr Agus Prabowo, Senior Management Advisor for Environment and Sustainable Energy UNDP Indonesia, stated, "Local operators are at the forefront of PLTS sustainability in villages to continue to use energy; therefore, capacity building and standards are critical." Through this project, UNDP hopes to achieve the target of Sustainable Development Goal Number 7, namely Clean and Affordable Energy, and then become a driver for achieving three other goals: 10th goal of Reducing Inequality, 1st Without Poverty, and 4th Quality Education.

In his opening remarks, Prahoro Yulijanto Nurtjahyo, PhD, Head of BPSDM, saw this training as a new standard in power plant management in the future. "This training will be the basis and a new milestone in a better future for energy development in Indonesia, because no matter how much assistance is given, in the end, competent human resources are always needed to operate it." He hopes all participants will become competent operators to maintain the reliability of the managed communal PLTS.