STRATEGIC PATHWAYS FOR INDONESIA’S RENEWABLE ENERGY TRANSITION: GEOPOLITICAL POSITIONING, CRITICAL MINERALS, AND NET-ZERO AMBITIONS

Renewables are now playing a major role in shaping global energy security and climate diplomacy, as well as economic resilience. The energy transition of the world is accelerating under the influence of market changes, competition for critical resources and rapid technology development, the transition is presenting both opportunities and challenges. Through the lens of legislation, future electricity generation mix and the role of critical minerals, this study undertakes a qualitative content analysis to assess Indonesia's strategic position in the renewable energy transition. Indonesia has a significant comparative advantage since the nation has a plentiful nickel, cobalt, and potentially lithium reserves and abundant renewable resources. By 2050, under the projected energy scenarios, the contribution of solar power generation will rise to more than 30%, while the use of coal will have fallen dramatically to 5-10%. But the country has structural problems, that are geopolitically vulnerable supply chains, expensive storage, regulatory hurdles, reliance on foreign technology. Faster downstream mineral processing, local technical capacity R&D, regional energy integration, and regional technical partnerships of this kind need to take place in order to avoid these pitfalls. Indonesia can establish itself as the regional leader in sustainable energy and critical mineral supply, seize on the energy transition to cost-effectively work towards net zero emissions by 2045 with early strategic action.