Jakarta (Indonesia Window) – The Human Resources Development Agency at the Indonesian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs of the Swiss Confederation signed a Project Arrangement (PA) on renewable energy development in Jakarta on Wednesday (Dec 12).

The Swiss Ambassador to Indonesia, Timor Leste and ASEAN, Kurt Kunz, represented the Swiss government.

The Head of Human Resources Development Agency, Prahoro Nurtjahyo, said the cooperation was expected to increase the capacity and productivity of human resources managing the new and renewable energy sub-sector in the two countries.

"This document is the starting point for stakeholders in Indonesia to  promote  the capacity building. In the future, not only will it involve the energy sector, but also other sectors," Prahoro said in a written statement received by Indonesia Window here on Thursday.

The PA is a derivative and a follow-up to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by Indonesian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arifin Tasrif and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs of the Swiss Confederation on October 9, 2020.

The scope of cooperation between the two parties includes the development of formal and non-formal trainings on the new renewable energy sub-sectors, exchange of knowledges, and capacity building.

The program also involves the National Development Planning Agency of the Republic of Indonesia/the National Development Planning Agency; Ministry of Education and Culture; National Agency for Professional Certification; and polytechnics engaged in the new and renewable energy sub-sector in Indonesia and Switzerland.

The bilateral cooperation is motivated by the desire of the two countries to increase their contribution to the energy transition in the world.

Indonesia has made a national energy policy aimed at increasing the share of renewable energy to 23 percent by 2025 and 31 percent by 2050.

Meanwhile, the Swiss government is aiming to reduce the use of fossil fuels by 20 percent by 2020.

Most of the energy produced in Switzerland come from hydropower and biomass.

However, the two sources only contribute about 15 percent of the total energy consumption. Meanwhile, 85 percent of the energy sources, in the forms of fossil fuels and nuclear power which are used in Switzerland are imported.

Reporting by Indonesia Window