The Indonesian government has unveiled an ambitious plan to deploy 100GW of solar PV capacity nationwide, with a strong focus on rural electrification through distributed renewable energy projects.

The programme includes 80GW of solar PV and 320GWh of battery energy storage systems (BESS) across 80,000 villages, each equipped with 1MW of solar PV and 4MWh of storage. These systems will be managed by the Merah Putih Village Cooperative (KDMP), launched last month by President Prabowo Subianto.

By providing reliable, affordable electricity to rural areas, the initiative aims to boost local economic activity and improve energy access for millions. In addition to the KDMP-led projects, the plan targets the construction of 20GW of centralised solar PV plants.

The Institute for Essential Services Reform (IESR), an Indonesian energy think tank, praised the initiative. CEO Fabby Tumiwa called it “very appropriate for overcoming the challenges of energy transition and strengthening energy self-sufficiency,” noting that it could become the largest rural electrification and distributed renewable programme in Southeast Asia.

This launch follows the government’s ratification of a plan to add 42.6GW of renewable energy capacity and 10.3GW of storage by 2034, with solar PV expected to account for 17.1GW of the total.