Press Release
The Ensight
Green Human Capital: Millennials and Gen Z for a Just Energy Transition
Jakarta, October 15, 2022 – The Purnomo Yusgiantoro Center (PYC) organized The Ensight event titled “Green Human Capital: Millennials and Gen Z for a Just Energy Transition.” The event featured speakers including Khoiria Oktaviani, Program Manager of the Solar Power Initiative Movement (Gerilya) under the Kampus Merdeka program, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM); I Made Aditya Suryawidya, Secretary General of the Indonesian Solar Energy Association (AESI); and Anisa Isabella Agustina, Business Development of PT Sumber Energi Surya Nusantara (SESNA), with Michael Suryaprawira (PYC Researcher) as the moderator.
The event was opened by PYC Chairwoman Filda C. Yusgiantoro, who highlighted that transitioning to environmentally friendly and renewable energy is a priority to meet future energy consumption needs while fulfilling global emission reduction commitments. All sectors, including the energy industry, are encouraged to participate in this transition. Human capital plays a critical role in enhancing efforts and productivity to support the energy transition. Additionally, both top-down and bottom-up collaboration is essential to improve human capital readiness for this transition.
The first speaker, Khoiria Oktaviani, emphasized the need for human capital to achieve Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) and energy mix goals. Currently, the energy mix is still dominated by fossil fuels, particularly coal, despite Indonesia’s significant renewable energy potential. She explained that the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) has collaborative programs aimed at supporting the energy transition for Generation Z, such as Patriot Energi, which provides training for young people to help improve electricity access in remote areas, and the Gerilya (Solar Power Initiative Movement) program in collaboration with Kampus Merdeka.
The second speaker, Anisa Isabella Agustina, pointed out that from 2012 to 2019, jobs in the renewable energy sector increased significantly, particularly in solar PV, bioenergy, hydropower, and wind. The rise in renewable energy employment is driven by the growing use of clean energy. In this context, academia plays a crucial role in preparing the necessary skills for human capital in the renewable energy sector. Furthermore, government policies are needed to support synchronization among various stakeholders, and coordination between the public and private sectors is required to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
The third speaker, I Made Aditya Suryawidya, explained that when discussing industry readiness, technology, funding, and human capital must be considered. Currently, many jobs in Indonesia are directly related to the energy transition. Human capital also supports industry readiness for this transition. Made further elaborated that industries previously focused on fossil fuels are now beginning to diversify into renewable energy. For example, jobs related to solar power plants (PLTS) are on the rise. The challenge for Indonesia is how to focus on technology and the value chain.
The event concluded with closing remarks from PYC Supervisory Chairperson, Inka B. Yusgiantoro. Indonesia has three main targets: NDC, NZE 2060, and SDG. The energy transition is a substantial challenge for the country, not only in terms of infrastructure but also in human capital. Therefore, attention must be paid to preparing the right human resources for Indonesia. Going forward, more programs are expected to support the energy transition. The younger generation needs to map out the skills required and identify which energy sources have significant potential in Indonesia. Moreover, Millennials and Gen Z are encouraged to develop clean energy startups. Education is the key to supporting green human capital. Collaboration among government, academia, the private sector, media, and society (penta helix) is essential in supporting the energy transition in the industrial sector.
