Advancing Refuse-Derived Fuels for Decarbonizing Indonesia’s Energy Sector and Achieving NDC Targets
As a form of mainstreaming the decarbonization of the energy sector in Indonesia and waste fuel optimization to meet the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) target, RDI has been working on the Optimization of refuse-derived fuels to decarbonize the electricity sector and achieve NDC targets in Indonesia (RDFact) project, collaborating with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), and the University of Queensland. The kick-off of this project was held on April 14, 2023, at the Swiss-Belhotel in Serpong. The opening remark was served by Dr. Anthony Halog, The University of Queensland, followed by Ir. Edi Wibowo, M.T. (Director of Bioenergy, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM)), and Dr. Ir Novrizal Tahar IPM (Director of Waste Management, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Republic of Indonesia). The remarks emphasized that decarbonizing the energy sector and shifting to renewable energy are of utmost importance. Indonesia’s focus on the development of refuse-derived fuels (RDF) technology presents a promising opportunity for collaboration among stakeholders. RDF serves as a dual solution to address waste management challenges and provides an alternative source for decarbonizing power generation and industries.
The kick-off was then followed by a focus group discussion with several panelists. In general, the activity served as a forum to support the government’s efforts by conducting a series of workshops, focus group discussions, and training to enhance the capacity of stakeholders to implement RDF in Indonesia by 2026. In addition, the RDFact has also provided technical assistance to several local governments in Indonesia that may develop their RDF technology in the region.
Following this program, RDI and ThinkZero conducted the Climate and Carbon Literacy Training on 22 - 23 June 2023 in Jakar- ta. This training is designed to provide participants with a solid climate and carbon literacy foundation, especially for the waste and energy sectors. Through engaging sessions, expert speakers, interactive activities, and thought-provoking discussions, all participants will explore the science behind climate change, its causes, and the urgent need for collective action. Some key areas discussed are carbon footprint awareness, mitigation strategies, renewable energy solutions, and more.
The General Director of Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources gave the opening remarks, along with the University of Queensland - RDFact Principal Investigator of the University of Queensland, and Dr. Elisabeth Rianawati as RDI Director. Then, it was continued with a panel discussion with the theme: Driving Indus- trial Sustainability to Tackle Climate Crisis, where the panelists were representatives from KADIN Net Zero Hub, WRI Indonesia, and Waste4Change Indonesia. Going the main agenda was the two-day training served by representatives from ThinkZero. This activity was followed by enthusiasm from participants from different backgrounds, ranging from private sectors, primarily waste-to-energy-related sectors, such as energy-intensive industries as the potential off-takers and consumer goods as the main producer of domestic waste. Hopefully, this first training has become an excellent start for upcoming activities in the waste fuel optimization sector.
Written by: Martha Verena
