The evolution of renewable electricity policy in Indonesia (1967-2024) : a presidential era assessment through Daniels’ planning framework

Abstract

Indonesia’s transition to renewable electricity has unfolded unevenly across successive presidential administrations, shaped by shifts in political priorities, institutional constraints, and energy security imperatives. This study examines the evolution of renewable electricity policy in Indonesia from 1967 to 2024, employing Daniels’ five-era environmental planning framework to structure a comparative review across the Suharto, Reformasi, Yudhoyono, Jokowi, and early Prabowo periods. Using a qualitative, documentbased methodology, the analysis synthesizes official policy documents, regulatory instruments, international commitments, and academic literature to trace patterns of continuity and disruption in governance, market structures, and state utility control. The findings reveal entrenched path dependencies rooted in centralized fossil fuel development, institutional dominance of PLN, and fragmented regulatory reforms, which persisted despite successive policy attempts to stimulate renewable investment. While the Yudhoyono and Jokowi eras marked the formal integration of climate targets and renewable energy commitments, structural and political barriers ranging from subsidized coal, incoherent regulations, and inconsistent inter-ministerial coordination continued to undermine implementation. Prabowo’s early presidency signals ambitious rhetorical shifts but remains constrained by legacy institutions and overcapacity in coal-fired generation. The study contributes a structured, era-based understanding of Indonesia’s renewable electricity policymaking and offers forward-looking insights for improving institutional coherence, investment governance, and long-term energy planning. This thesis contributes to environmental planning scholarship by extending Daniels’ framework to a Global South context and offering insights for sustainable electricity transition in emerging economies.