Demand for energy is growing rapidly in Indonesia. However, renewable energies continue to make only a small contribution to the country’s electricity supply. As a result, the provision of energy is having an increasing impact on the country’s CO2 emissions. Energy-related emissions are expected to become the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and will account for up to 70 percent of total emissions by 2030.

One of the sectors with the fastest-growing requirement for electricity is commercial and industrial cooling. However, the refrigeration sector also offers great potential for increasing energy efficiency, integrating renewable energies through photovoltaic systems, and thus reducing and avoiding climate-damaging emissions in the long term. At the same time, the use of decentralised, renewable energies creates cost benefits by avoiding transport and fuel costs for electricity generation.

The GIZ-implemented Energy Programme Indonesia/ASEAN supports the Indonesian Government in a partner-based approach in achieving its targets for a sustainable energy transition. These include realising Indonesia’s target of 23% renewable energy in the power mix by 2025 and 34% by 2030, achieving Net Zero Emissions by 2060, and mainstreaming low-carbon technologies as part of an overall economic transformation.

As one of the measures to support the Government of Indonesia (GoI) under the Energy Programme, the “Solar Cold Chains for a Green Economy in Indonesia” (SOCOOL) Project shall create suitable technological and market framework conditions to enable a long-term reduction of CO2 emissions in Indonesia’s cooling sector. An industry-based, national approach in partnership with inter-ministerial collaboration shall ensure contributions towards Indonesia’s Nationally Determined Contributions and renewable energy targets while achieving socio-economic improvements in related sectors of the economy with high demands for cold chain expansion and preservation of goods.