Jakarta (Indonesia Window) - The Indonesian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources is preparing to install hundreds of thousands of rooftop solar panels in the household sector.

The program, called Energi Surya Nusantara, is part of the government's strategy to utilize solar energy and stimulate economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a statement from the ministry received by Indonesia Window here on Saturday.

The Director of Various Renewable Energy at the Ministry, Harris, said the program will use the State Budget and is intended for the poor and those who are vulnerable to poverty or the PLN’s (the National Electricity Company) customers who get subsidies from the government.

"The concept (of the program) is to divert subsidies for PLN’s household customers by installing rooftop solar panels," Harris said during an online discussion at the New Energy Nexus Hackathon on Thursday (Sep 24).

It is expected that the Energi Surya Nusantara program will provide many benefits. One of which is that reducing electricity subsidies by up to 800 billion rupiah to 1.3 trillion rupiah (some 53.8 million U.S. dollars to 87.5 million U.S. dollars) at the current rate.

In addition to absorbing a lot of workforce, the program will contribute to the National Energy General Plan target and encourage a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 1.05 million tonnes per gigawatt peak in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) and grow the green industry.

Surya Nusantara was firstly initiated and recommended by the Institute for Essential Service Reform (IESR), a think tank that is actively conducting advocacy and campaigns to ensure the fulfillment of people's energy needs.

Reporting by Indonesia Window