Kuala Lumpur – In a significant nod to Indonesia’s energy transition efforts, Pertamina’s Energizing Villages Program (Desa Energi Berdikari – DEB) was honored with the Trailblazer Award at the prestigious 2025 Energy Asia Awards, held in Kuala Lumpur on June 16, 2025. The award recognizes breakthrough initiatives that empower communities through socially-driven energy innovation.
The accolade was presented by Tan Sri Tengku Muhammad Taufik, President & Group CEO of Petronas, to Mohamad Roby Hervindo, CSR Manager of PT Pertamina (Persero), in a ceremony also attended by Oki Muraza, Vice Director of Pertamina.
“This inaugural Energy Asia Award celebrates individuals and institutions across Asia who are helping to realize the region’s energy transition through business and social innovation,” said Tengku Muhammad Taufik in his remarks, underscoring the award’s regional significance.
According to Fadjar Djoko Santoso, Vice President of Corporate Communication at Pertamina, the DEB program goes beyond electrification. It is a holistic initiative that fosters energy independence while catalyzing economic, social, and environmental transformation through the application of renewable energy technologies adapted to local contexts.
First launched in 2019 with 15 villages, the program has expanded to 172 Energizing Villages nationwide, harnessing energy sources such as solar power, methane gas, biogas, micro-hydro, biodiesel, and hybrid systems. The impact is both measurable and transformative:
- 729,808 tons CO₂ equivalent reduced annually
- 46,579 beneficiaries across rural communities
- IDR 3.7 billion in yearly economic uplift
A compelling example comes from DEB Kampoeng Kepiting in Cilacap, where community leader Warriyanto described a tangible economic shift. “We used to lose marketable crabs due to storage limitations,” he shared. “Now, with solar-powered cooling and aerator systems, we preserve more stock and have even established a thriving seafood culinary hub that draws tourists.”
Monthly revenues for Kampoeng Kepiting can now reach up to IDR 80 million, showcasing how sustainable energy can become a driver for grassroots prosperity.
With its win at the Energy Asia Awards, Pertamina not only affirms its global credibility in sustainability but also positions community-based renewable energy as a strategic pillar of national development.
