ERIA Launches SEIDO Project in Indonesia through Stakeholder Engagements in Jakarta, Maluku, and Buru Island

Jakarta/Ambon/Buru, 15-19 December 2025: ERIA conducted stakeholder engagement meetings and site visits across three locations in Indonesia-Jakarta, Ambon (Maluku Province), and Buru Island - from 15 to 19 December 2025 as part of the Sustainable Energy Island and Distributed Off-grid Systems (SEIDO) project. These activities marked the official commencement of SEIDO project implementation in Indonesia.

The SEIDO project aims to strengthen energy resilience and sustainability in remote and island regions across ASEAN by promoting integrated, renewable-based energy solutions. With a focus on Palawan Island in the Philippines and Buru Island in Indonesia, the project explores pathways to enhance local energy security, reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels, and support progress toward investment readiness and financial closure.

ERIA is currently implementing Phase 1: Resource Assessment, which includes evaluating renewable energy potential and existing energy infrastructure, identifying viable business models and enabling policy frameworks, and conducting site surveys in close coordination with national and local stakeholders. Mitsubishi Research Institute (MRI) has been appointed as the project consultant.

In Jakarta, ERIA held discussions with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources - particularly the Directorate General of New, Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation and the Directorate General of Electricity - as well as PLN (the state-owned electricity company) and private-sector stakeholders, including Ormat, which is undertaking geothermal development on Buru Island. In Maluku, ERIA engaged with the Provincial Energy and Mineral Resources Agency, the Buru Regency Government, NZMates, and PLN units in Ambon and on Buru Island.

These engagements were complemented by site visits on Buru Island to gain a deeper understanding of local energy supply and demand conditions. The visits included inspections of diesel power plants, electrical substations, and key demand centres such as cold storage facilities.

The stakeholder engagements yielded valuable insights into the energy landscape of Buru Island and the wider Maluku region. Discussions highlighted that electricity demand on Buru Island is predominantly residential, with limited industrial activity, while electricity supply remains heavily reliant on costly diesel generation. Stakeholders also shared information on ongoing and planned renewable energy projects under Indonesia's Electricity Supply Business Plan (RUPTL), including solar photovoltaics with battery energy storage systems (BESS), geothermal, hydropower, and biomass.

Engagements with regional governments further underscored that several islands in Maluku remain unelectrified, highlighting the need for scalable and decentralised energy solutions. Stakeholders also emphasised the importance of strengthening local human resource capacity, with the SEIDO project expected to contribute through knowledge exchange and community engagement in subsequent phases. Overall, stakeholders expressed strong support for the implementation of the SEIDO project.

Through these initial engagements and site visits, ERIA has established a solid foundation for advancing the SEIDO project in Indonesia and supporting the development of practical, scalable, and sustainable energy solutions for remote and island communities across ASEAN.