A webinar organized by Society of Renewable Energy (SRE) and Society of Petroleum Engineers of University of Indonesia Student Chapter has been conducted virtually using Zoom on 3 June 2023.  

• Muhammad Shidiq, a Senior Researcher of ACCEPT II, has delivered information on Oil & Gas and renewable energy (RE) synergy to achieve net zero not only in ASEAN but also in Indonesia.  
• The speakers highlighted the need to synergize the oil & gas and RE by ensuring that RE growth should be followed also by reducing oil & gas usage step by step. 

The webinar discussed the current oil & gas situation as well as RE growth in Indonesia and ASEAN and how the resources should be synergized to achieve net zero. Around 70 students have joined the event where the objective of the webinar is to increase student’s understanding on energy landscape in particular the current situation of oil & gas and RE not only in Indonesia but also in ASEAN, as well as to facilitate the student to interact with experts to discuss current oil & gas and RE development.   

Muhammad Shidiq presented about ACE and ACCEPT II in early presentation. He explained that the ACCEPT is to promote and support information sharing on the energy-climate nexus in the region. The project aims to support the ASEAN Member States (AMS) and ASEAN’s capacity to transition to a low-carbon energy system and contribute to carbon neutrality or a net zero future. The presentation is followed by delivering updates on oil & gas current situation and projection in ASEAN and Indonesia. Based on the current situation, oil & gas production is decreasing from 2017 until 2022 in ASEAN. Malaysia and Indonesia, the two largest oil and gas producer in the region have also decreasing trend in the last five years. It is also projected that the oil & gas supply will also decrease by 2050. In contrast, the RE increase the last five years in ASEAN and Indonesia. RE is also projected to be increasing continuously by 2050.  

Edrick Pratama Sasmita who is Business Development Analyst at PT Pertamina Power Indonesia, highlighted the current Indonesia oil & gas development not only in production side but also in technology side. Carbon, Capture and Storage (CCS) is technology that can be used in future oil & gas industries to reduce emissions and achieve net zero emissions. In Indonesia, the trend of renewable energy is also increasing in last years and will keep increasing in the following years.  

During the discussion sessions, the participants delivered some questions to the speakers and the session was very interactive. Energy trilemma (energy security, energy equity and environmental sustainability) has been discussed on how to achieve the energy trilemma in equal way. The speakers highlighted that trilemma may still be a challenge to be achieved equally in developing countries including Indonesia. However, it does not mean that it is impossible. In Indonesia the energy trilemma is going to be in good shape where the country is working seriously to achieve the country energy security and at the same time could reduce emissions. Indonesia has continued to penetrate and unlock more RE including geothermal since the country has abundance RE resources. This situation is also happened in southeast Asia countries where RE are continuously to be installed as a way not only to achieve net zero but also to reduce reliance on oil & gas. The discussion also highlighted the importance of collaboration and engagement among stakeholders, between oil & gas and RE sectors. Policymakers, industries and experts should work together and support among other to ensuring and pacing the country and regional target to achieve the net zero or carbon neutrality target. The discussion also highlighted that in the early stage of RE development, barriers may include technology, policy and economic challenges. However, due to the pace development of RE, technology is considered not to be a major challenge since it is mature, and technology is easily adopted for developing countries. On policy, governments have also worked with RE policy and regulation of a country which may support the development of RE step by step in a country. For developing countries, economics may still become a barrier, but with the support of government as well as other stakeholders, it is hoped that the economic barriers can be minimized. The discussion was very beneficial for the participants to get update on the current energy landscape as well as to discuss directly with the experts. The organizers are expected to have other events both virtual and in-person in future and hopefully the speakers can be invited again and able to speak in the other events.  

Detailed information on ACCEPT II can be found at https://accept.aseanenergy.org/.  

ACCEPT II welcomes any collaboration, please feel free to contact us at [email protected]