JAKARTA, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia will gradually reduce the use of coal for electricity generation from the current share of 55 percent to around 30 percent by 2050, shifting toward cleaner and renewable energy sources, an official from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources said Wednesday.
Siti Sumilah Rita Susilawati, secretary of the Directorate General of Minerals and Coal, said that coal remains a major contributor to the country's electricity supply.
"For now, around 55 percent of our power generation still relies on coal. This share will be gradually reduced and replaced with new and renewable energy sources," Rita said.
She noted that coal would still play a role in Indonesia's energy mix by 2050, but state-owned electricity company PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) has been instructed to adopt advanced technologies such as ultra-supercritical systems that can significantly cut carbon dioxide emissions.
Rita acknowledged that Indonesia's target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2060 cannot be met solely by reducing fossil fuel use. The government, she said, is prioritizing energy blending and technological innovation to drive down emissions.
"Reducing fossil fuel consumption, for example, in the smelter sector, is a good starting point. We have directed smelters to use new and renewable energy as their main energy source," she added.
Indonesia is pursuing an 8-percent economic growth target by 2029, while advancing its transition toward a low-carbon economy and achieving net-zero emissions by 2060. ■