The agreement was marked by the signing of a memorandum of understanding for the formation of the Indonesia Energy and Electricity Institute (IEEI) by Pertamina President Director Nicke Widyawati and PLN President Director Zulkifli Zaini and witnessed by Deputy Minister of State-owned Enterprises (BUMN) I Budi Gunadi Sadikin in Jakarta.
According to information received by Antara on Saturday, the IEEI will become a center for energy research on technological trends and developments, build a database for research and study activities in the field of policy by taking into account Indonesia's natural resources, and play an active role in advocacy in the energy sector to the global level.
Deputy Minister of BUMN I Budi Gunadi Sadikin remarked that the formation of IEEI is a form of synergy between BUMNs in Indonesia in the first joint research in the energy and electricity sector in Indonesia.
"The IEEI is expected to emerge as a national and regional thought leader that can become the basis and reference for research in the energy and electricity sector in terms of technical and policy research as well as become a global energy platform," Sadikin remarked.
The deputy minister of BUMN affirmed that energy has had a major impact on human civilization, so the energy transition will also have a massive impact on human civilization.
"In this transition, of course, there will be countries or companies that survive and loose. I am optimistic that Pertamina and PLN would emerge as companies that survive in this energy transition," he stated.
Sadikin expressed hope that Pertamina and PLN would conduct joint studies and streamline the organization that was formed by being heedful of the latest issues in energy transition and energy transformation and digitization.
Pertamina President Director Nicke Widyawati noted that the IEEI was expected to drive thinking for the energy transition going forward.
"The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the global energy transition quickly. Pertamina and PLN, as the frontline in energy, must move together to answer this challenge in order to achieve availability, accessibility, effectiveness, acceptability, and sustainability to fulfill the national energy sovereignty," Widyawati remarked.
In the early stages, Pertamina and PLN will enter into research and technology based on the fact that Indonesia currently has profuse natural resources though falls short in terms of technology. "Hopefully, this IEEI would offer advocacy for our government and for the international world in future," Widyawati stated.
Furthermore, PLN President Director Zulkifli Zaini laid emphasis that the formation of IEEI is a strategic breakthrough for PLN and Pertamina. Later, the IEEI can contribute to development of the electricity and energy sectors in Indonesia.
"The IEEI is expected to become a think tank that produces reports and research that can contribute widely to the development of the electricity and energy sector in Indonesia," he stated.
The IEEI Working Team will prepare a road map and work plan for the next decade that encompasses the preparation of an energy outlook expected to work in favor of both companies. IEEI activities are planned to be active at the national and international levels.
On the same occasion, Chairman of the Indonesian Institute of Energy Economics, Prof. Subroto, also remarked that all parties involved in energy management must work inclusively rather than run independently, with hopes riding high on the IEEI embracing all parties to synergize.
"We must work together in managing this energy," he concluded.
IEEI will feature experts in energy and electricity: Managing Director of Pertamina Nicke Widyawati, Managing Director of PLN Zulkifli Zaini, Secretary General of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Ego Syahrial, Head of BKF Febrio Kacaribu, Special Advisor to the Coordinating Minister for Policy Innovation and Industrial Competitiveness Prof. Dr. Satryo S. Brodjonegoro, Prof. Kuntoro Mangkusubroto, Dr. Widhyawan Prawiraatmadja, and Dr. Hardiv Situmeang.
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EDITED BY INE
Translator: Afut S, Azis Kurmala
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2020
