Indonesia has announced an ambitious plan to deploy 100 GW of solar power nationwide, combining large-scale generation with an unprecedented rural electrification push. According to pv magazine, the “100 GW Solar Power Plant Plan for Village Cooperatives,” mandated by President Prabowo Subianto, will see 80 GW installed as 1 MW solar arrays paired with 4 MWh battery energy storage systems in 80,000 villages. Operated by the village cooperative Merah Putih, these solar-plus-storage mini grids aim to provide affordable, reliable power while reducing dependence on costly diesel generators. The government has set an initial target of 10,000 operational units by August 2025. Another 20 GW of centralized solar—both on- and off-grid—will complement the distributed systems, with the goal of meeting household energy needs and boosting rural economic activity.

Fabby Tumiwa, CEO of the Institute for Essential Services Reform (IESR), told pv magazine that the solar-plus-BESS model could deliver electricity at $0.12 to $0.15 per kWh over 25 years—well below the $0.20 to $0.40 per kWh cost of diesel generation. Tumiwa called it potentially Southeast Asia’s largest rural electrification effort, but warned that building 100 GW in five years will be “very challenging.” IESR recommendations include developing skilled local workforces through university and vocational training programs, offering maintenance training, pursuing bulk equipment procurement, and using blended finance models to support project funding.

The initiative is still in the planning phase, coordinated by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources alongside the Coordinating Ministries of Economic Affairs and Food. Indonesia’s technical potential for solar ranges from 3,300 GW to 20,000 GW, according to IESR estimates, while the country’s long-term energy policy targets up to 108.7 GW of solar by 2060. If implemented effectively, the program could redefine Indonesia’s energy landscape and serve as a global benchmark for large-scale distributed renewables.