Indonesia enacted a new law to encourage the country's use of renewable energy

On Sept. 16, Indonesia enacted a new law to encourage the country's use of renewable energy, including a plan to retire a large number of its coal-fired power plants over the next 30 years. Indonesia plans to phase out 15 gigawatts of coal power, or about 60 percent of the country's coal power, Singapore's Straits Times reported Tuesday. Indonesia, the world's largest coal exporter, aims to increase the share of renewable energy in its energy mix to 23 percent by 2025, but so far it is only around 12 percent.

Indonesia wants to strike a balance between promoting economic growth and developing green energy, as it seeks to reduce demand for fossil fuels by promoting the use of electric stoves and cars and developing alternative energy sources. Coal currently meets about 60 per cent of Indonesia's electricity needs. Indonesia last year set a goal of net zero emissions by 2060 and pledged to join dozens of other countries in phasing out coal use, aiming to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.