The United Kingdom and Indonesia have marked the completion of the five-year Mentari clean energy program with a strong commitment to deepen their collaboration on a just and inclusive energy transition. 

Speaking at a closing ceremony in Jakarta on Thursday, July 3, 2025, Matthew Downing, Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy, praised the partnership as a model for impactful and people-centered climate action.

“This is what real partnership looks like. It’s not just about numbers or reports, it’s about the people,” Downing said.

He confirmed that while Mentari Phase 1 has concluded, the UK is now working with Indonesia to launch Mentari 2, a successor program aligned with the upcoming UK–Indonesia strategic partnership.

“I really look forward to us being able to launch that new programme later this year,” he said.

The Mentari program, launched in 2020, supported Indonesia’s clean energy goals through a wide-ranging portfolio of work: shaping 11 clean energy policies, building over £3.29 billion worth of project pipeline, and unlocking nearly £900 million in potential investment − equivalent to roughly US$1 billion. These achievements reflect what Downing called a “clear signal of growing investor confidence in Indonesia’s renewable energy future.”

Among the major breakthroughs, Downing cited the program’s support in: advancing low-carbon planning with PLN, informing regulations through local content studies, enabling the development of Indonesia’s first national hydrogen strategy, and unlocking $600 million for the World Bank’s ISLE2 project.

“These achievements are not just policy wins − they are building blocks for a cleaner and more inclusive energy future for Indonesia,” Downing emphasized.

Mentari’s impact also extended to rural empowerment. In East Nusa Tenggara, a pilot off-grid solar PV system now powers 250 homes and public facilities, while training and business support has reached over 40 villages in Sumba, created 16 women-led enterprises, and helped develop seven hectares of farmland with crops like citronella and ginger.

“This is what empowerment looks like and this is what Mentari can do for individuals and communities,” Downing said. “Thanks to this program, we’ve seen how clean energy can transform lives.”

Since 2020, the program has trained over 15,000 individuals, supported academic exchanges, developed online modules on the APSDM platform, and launched “Mentari Goes to Campus” to engage the next generation of Indonesia’s energy leaders.

Downing closed his speech by acknowledging the “hard work and commitment” of government ministries, communities, and delivery partners such as the Palladium-led consortium, whose role was key in the program’s success.