Bali Targets Net Zero By 2060 With Roll Out Of Electric Moped Initiative

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Bali Governor Wayan Koster has announced that Bali will be an ‘Emission Free Province’ by 2060. Koster and central government ministers launched two new programs this week focusing on the transition towards green energy.

There has been much speculation over the legitimacy of Indonesia’s green ambitions. Yet Governor Koster’s statements on Thursday clearly demonstrate his commitment to making renewable energy the primary power source on the Island of the Gods.

The first program focuses on the promises made in the 2019 Bali Clean Energy Bill, and the second focuses on using Battery-Based Electric Motorised vehicles. In Bali, as in many parts of South East Asia, the moped is the most common form of transport for local people. It has become something of a rite of passage for tourists to also rent a scooter to explore the island.

In 2019, Governor Koster signed a bill to introduce the widespread use of electric mopeds. He has also been vocal about his ambitions to introduce widespread use of electric cars across Bali. A fleet of Hyundai Genesis electric vehicles has already landed in Bali ahead of the G20 Summit in November. Governor Koster hopes this will be the start of the great energy transition.

On Thursday 1st, September, Governor Koster attended the Motorcycle Conversion of Fuel Parade and drove an electric moped during the event. Wearing a blue his-vs waistcoat and a beaming smile, Koster’s attendance at the event was well received.

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Governor Koster was joined by PLN President Director Darmawan Prasodjo, Bali Police Chief Inspector General Pol Putu Jayan Danu Putra, Denpasar Deputy Mayor I Kadek Agus Arya Wibawa and Badung Secretary I Wayan Adi Arnawa. Having these decision-makers attend the launch event was another positive sign that the government is working to take the steps necessary to be an Emissions Free Province in the next 38 years.

The Bali Provincial Head of Transportation and Head of the Bali Tourism Office was also in attendance at the event. The Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Arifin Tasrif, spoke with reporters and explained the impact of changing from petrol-fuelled mopeds to electric powered mopeds on the environment and global emissions.

He said, ‘if we calculate 1 liter of fuel per motorcycle per day in Indonesia, [that means] we burn 800,000 barrels of oil. If the current oil price is 100 dollars, then every day we burn 80 million dollars or Rp 1.2 trillion of the money into smoke’. He continued to explain that the transition to renewables will also save citizens money in the long term.

In addition to financial savings and the reduction in emissions, there is a greater benefit that the government is focusing on. It is hoped that the transition to renewable energy will create tens of thousands of jobs across Indonesia, including in Bali.

Indonesia is keen to establish greater industry infrastructure to support not only for the country but the continent and the wider world. Ahead of the G20 Summit, Indonesia is looking to demonstrate that they are on target with policies and promises, especially when it comes to sustainable energy.

Speaking at the Electric Moped Parade, Governor Koster said he is giving his full support to policies and programs working to support the transition to renewables. He explained how he will be working to intensify efforts in 2023 and beyond. During his statement, he shared how he hoped that young people would adopt the use of electric mopeds as their first vehicles.

He showed how they will become cheaper to buy and maintain than motorbikes and that they do not pollute the island. Governor Koster confirmed that his government will hold further parades and conventions to increase awareness of the sustainable energy transition among both local people and tourists.