Fishermen use a solar power cooling system in Maratua, Berau, East Kalimantan (Photo: www.thejakartapost.com)
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) launched on September 10 an 18 million USD project to provide solar power systems to rural communities in four provinces across Indonesia.
The project, called ACCESS Project, will install 23 communal solar power systems with a total power of 1.2 MW in 23 villages in West Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, East Nusa Tenggara and Central Kalimantan by 2023.
According to Sophie Kemkhadze, deputy resident representative of UNDP in Indonesia, the project will contribute to the achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
ACCESS Project is a beacon of important contribution to SDGs for both Indonesia and Timor Leste, not only because it addresses one particular goal for SDGs, which is access to global energy, or because it contributes to the agenda of environment and climate, but also because it addresses so many different goals, Sophie said.
It is in line with the government’s agenda as it seeks to raise the share of regions that have access to electricity, called electrification ratio, to 100 percent from around 99 percent today.
The project is also carried out in neighboring Timor Leste, where 1,000 highly effective solar lamp systems will be installed in 25 villages across three municipalities, together with 11 solar water pumping systems.
Verania Andria, a senior advisor for sustainable energy at UNDP Indonesia, said the project would provide access to electricity for 20,000 people and access to clean water for 3,500 people in total from the selected regions in both countries.
VietNamPlus