The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) has revealed Indonesia’s significant potential for marine current energy as part of a broader push toward renewable energy (EBT), seeking to develop up to 40 megawatts (MW) of ocean current-based power plants in the initial phase leading up to 2034.

Director General of New and Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation (EBTKE) at the ESDM ministry, Eniya Listiani Dewi, said that this marine current potential lies primarily in eastern Indonesia.

“We’ve already begun feasibility studies to explore ocean current potential in Eastern Indonesia,” Eniya said during CNBC Indonesia’s Economic Update program on Tuesday, July 8, 2025.

“We’re including this in the upcoming RUPTL. Probably around 2030, we’ll see about 40 MW coming online, and the studies are currently underway,” she added.

The long-term power development plan, known as the Electricity Supply Business Plan (RUPTL) 2025–2034, was released by State electricity company PT PLN on May 26, 2025. The plan targets the addition of 69.5 gigawatts (GW) of new power generation capacity by 2034, with a strong focus on clean energy.

Of the total planned capacity, 76 percent − equivalent to 42.6 GW − is expected to come from renewable sources, while another 15 percent (around 10.3 GW) will be supported by energy storage systems.

The largest share of new renewable capacity will come from solar energy, projected at 17.1 GW or 40.1 percent of the total EBT expansion. This will be followed by hydropower, which is set to contribute 11.7 GW (27.4 percent).

“Hydropower is considered a baseload energy source, along with geothermal,” Eniya said.

For geothermal energy, the government aims to add 5.2 GW of capacity by 2034, representing 12.2 percent of the total EBT increase. Meanwhile, wind energy is expected to contribute 7.2 GW or 16.9 percent. Currently, Indonesia has only two operational wind projects − located in Sidrap and Jeneponto − underscoring the need to accelerate development in this area.

“We only have two wind locations now, which is far too few. There’s so much untapped wind potential that we need to promote. That’s why RUPTL includes a 7.2 GW target for wind,” she cited.

Other planned additions include 900 MW from bioenergy and 500 MW from nuclear power. In terms of energy storage systems, the country will add 4.3 GW from pumped hydro and 6.0 GW from battery storage.

Although Indonesia is pivoting toward renewable energy, the RUPTL also allows for the development of 16.6 GW of fossil-based power plants − 10.3 GW from natural gas and 6.3 GW from coal.

The comprehensive plan underscores Indonesia’s strategic shift toward a cleaner, more sustainable energy mix by 2034, while still acknowledging the transitional role of fossil fuels.