TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Regina Azi, a resident of Bantala Village, Flores Island, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), expressed relief at no longer needing five liters of kerosene weekly for cooking. Since using briquettes, kerosene has dropped to one or two liters a week. It’s a huge help,” she told Tempo at Lombok Raya Hotel, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), on Monday, April 28, 2025.
Regina and the Wolosina Watoboki Coconut School Community have adopted briquettes to reduce reliance on kerosene and firewood for the past year. She emphasized that using coconut waste for briquettes is not just an alternative fuel but part of embracing renewable energy (EBT). With 15 community members, Regina actively promotes the benefits and production process of briquettes to nearby villages.
In a year, her community sold around 500 kilograms of briquettes at Rp13,000 per kilogram, mainly to local buyers in Maumere and Ende.
Regina noted that briquettes also ease women’s domestic burdens. Time previously spent gathering firewood can now be used for other activities.
Similar efforts are underway in Umbu Ngedo Village, Southwest Sumba, NTT. With support from the Circle of Imagine Society (CIS), Timor, women developed three EBT-based tools: energy-efficient stoves, energy-saving oil lamps, and rainwater filters.
Acting Village Head Yohanes Odo Ate explained that energy-efficient stoves reduced firewood consumption. Previously, one person needed a bundle of 50 sticks; now, a single 20-cm-diameter log suffices. He said the time saved from cooking allows women to pursue activities beyond domestic chores.
In Rarang Village, NTB, 20 women from the SETARA School developed biogas from livestock manure to address the high cost of LPG. Besides providing an alternative energy source, biogas reduces livestock waste and organic trash.
Sri Anom, a member, said the program’s success prompted the village government to allocate a specific budget for biogas development in 2026. Rarang Village is planned to become a reference for other hamlets in biogas production.
Sri shared that the community initially doubted the initiative, which was led by women and vulnerable groups like people with disabilities and farm laborers. However, their success in producing gas from livestock waste changed perceptions. “Once it was built, their views on women and what we do began to shift,” she said.
Fahrunnisa, a Sociology lecturer at Sumbawa University of Technology, stated that NTB aims for net-zero emissions (NZE) by 2050, a decade ahead of the national target. She highlighted the region’s vast EBT potential. According to 2022 data from Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI), Sumbawa has 75 megawatts (MW) of geothermal potential; 1,355 gigawatt-hours (GWh) from urban waste; 2,210 GWh from corn waste biogas; 31,064 GWh from rice husks and straw; and 12 GWh from coconut.
However, Fahrunnisa noted that NTB’s energy transition from 2009 to 2023 has not been fully equitable. Policies focused on infrastructure, with minimal community participation and limited information on planning and implementation.
She said inputs from Yayasan Penabulu’s research prompted NTB’s Energy and Mineral Resources Agency (ESDM) to incorporate gender equality, disability, and social inclusion (GEDSI) into Governor Regulation No. 13 of 2024 on Green Energy Development. Fahrunnisa is now part of the GEDSI JET Working Group, advocating for an inclusive energy transition. They are awaiting the completion of technical implementation guidelines from NTB’s ESDM Agency.
CIS Timor Project Manager Lusia Carningsih Bunga, or Ningsih, highlighted the male dominance in energy sector decision-making. “We encourage women’s involvement in leadership and decision-making,” she said. She added that this dominance leaves many women unaware that energy solutions can lighten their workload. She cites solar-powered water pumps as an example for women who travel far for clean water.
Ningsih emphasized that women can meet their needs when they understand the energy sector while easing household burdens. “This is what we want to advance for women—knowledge first,” she said.
Mike Verawati Tangka, Secretary-General of the Indonesian Women’s Coalition (KPI), noted that social constructs often exclude women from energy sector dynamics. “The paradigm of education and information providers still assumes energy isn’t women’s knowledge,” she said.
Mike explained that sectors like infrastructure, climate change, finance, economy, and energy are deemed masculine. Women seeking involvement are often questioned, even if qualified. “They can only speak if they have the expertise. This is what we must brand,” she said.