In response to global climate challenges, Indonesia has set an ambitious target to achieve Net Zero Emissions by 2060. Young people are at the forefront of this mission, playing a crucial role in shaping climate policies and driving meaningful change. The United Nations reports that approximately 70% of global political participation involves young individuals, highlighting their immense potential. In Indonesia, a survey by Indikator Politik Indonesia reveals that 82% of Indonesian youth are concerned about climate issues. Recognizing this potential, New Energy Nexus Indonesia is organizing the second NEX STEP XChange, targeting youth in East Java.

In collaboration with FUTUREST 2024, hosted by the Society of Renewable Energy ITS (SRE ITS), New Energy Nexus presents the NEX STEP XChange. This event features a Policy Debate Competition and a Policy Workshop, aimed at fostering synergy between the government and students in building East Java into a sustainable and green province. The Policy Debate Competition focuses on four sub-themes: Clean and Affordable Energy, Green Technology, Energy Transition, and Sustainable Cities and Communities. Through these initiatives, young Indonesians are empowered to contribute to a greener and more sustainable future for their country.

The Policy Debate Competition successfully drew 13 teams from various universities in East Java, including Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember and Universitas Airlangga. Participants navigated two online rounds before the top four teams were selected to compete in the semifinals and finals, held offline at Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, Surabaya, on June 8, 2024. This competition challenged participants to develop and present arguments based on East Java’s energy conditions and potential, considering both technical and social aspects, in a relevant and timely manner.

The four winning teams were Tiga Serangkai from Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (1st place), KROPOK from Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (2nd place), Dharmawangsa Tua from Universitas Airlangga (3rd place), Golden Dawn from Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (4th place), with the best speaker award going to Najwa Latifah from Universitas Airlangga.

“Indonesians prefer fossil-fueled vehicles even for distances as short as 500 meters,” the Dharmawangsa Tua team highlighted, addressing societal realities and calling for immediate improvements through collaboration between the government, private sector, and community to implement more environmentally friendly policies in East Java Province.

“This competition was a new experience for us with a tech education background. Additionally, the topic of renewable energy made it particularly challenging,” added the Tiga Serangkai team.

In parallel with the final debate competition, New Energy Nexus Indonesia and Futurest 2024 SRE ITS organized a Policy Workshop themed “Dive Into the World of Sustainable Policies in East Java’s Province.” Rendy Herdijanto, Head of the Energy Division at the East Java Department of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), Isniyatus Sholikhah, Energy Analyst at the East Java Department of Energy and Mineral Resources, and Enda Grimonia, Policy Analyst Manager at New Energy Nexus Indonesia joining the event. 

Rendy Herdijanto discussed the energy landscape in East Java, highlighting both the opportunities and challenges in the region’s energy transition. They emphasized the crucial role young people can play as future regulators in the energy sector, underlining the importance of active youth participation in overseeing the energy transition in East Java.

Enda Grimonia provided insights into the process of creating policies that support energy transition and outlined how young people can engage in policy formulation. Enda also introduced several frameworks for policy analysis, empowering attendees with tools to support the development of sustainable energy policies.

“This event is a learning platform for students to foster innovation from universities, that should be replicated in other regions outside East Java,” said Rendy Herdijanto.

“This event also serves as a communication forum between youth and stakeholders, especially students. We hope that more events like this can be held, providing a place for participants to exchange ideas in support of energy transition and net zero emissions,” added Isniyatus Sholikhah.

In the second session, Enda Grimonia explained the policy-making process that supports energy transition and how young people can participate in formulating these policies. Enda also introduced several frameworks for policy analysis.

Beyond presenting energy policy insights, the Policy Workshop offered hands-on experience through practical activities like Stakeholder Analysis. Participants were divided into groups to analyze a case study on energy issues in East Java, specifically the early retirement plan of the Paiton coal-fired power plant. Each group’s discussion was facilitated by a mentor, followed by presentations and evaluations by representatives from the East Java Department of Energy and Mineral Resources.

Two groups presented particularly compelling analyses of the early retirement plan for the Paiton coal-fired power plant. Miftahul Rizqi Az-Zamzami, a student from Universitas Airlangga, shared insights on the perspectives of the State Electricity Company (PLN) and the government as key stakeholders in this case study.

“In the pursuit of the NZE 2060 target, an energy supply gap during the transition is highly possible, potentially resulting in significant losses for companies. PLN can contribute by managing the distribution of renewable energy infrastructure,” said Miftahul Rizqi Az-Zamzami.

“It is also interesting to consider the perspective of the Ministry of Industry of the Republic of Indonesia, which needs to meet green document requirements linked to renewable energy. The problem lies in the dominance of industries in the extractive energy sector and their continued dependence on fossil fuels due to the high costs of green industries. The Ministry of Industry can facilitate the shift from extractive (fossil) industries to greener industries.”

The Policy Workshop involved 30 young people from various regions and backgrounds, including several universities in East Java such as Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, Universitas Airlangga, and Universitas Pembangunan Nasional Jawa Timur (UPNVJ), as well as some participants from Futurest 2024 from Telkom University, Institut Pertanian Bogor, and Universitas Gajah Mada. One participant from Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember noted that the Policy Workshop served as a platform for like-minded youth to meet and learn about various aspects of energy transition issues, especially energy policy.

“I hope that there will be more workshops like this in the future, not only for young people but also for various other stakeholders so that more people become aware of the acceleration of policies related to energy transition. Today, I learned three things: how to formulate energy policies, how to understand the perspectives of different stakeholders related to energy transition, and about the data on renewable energy mix in East Java,” said Disya Salsabilah, a student from Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember.