Yogyakarta, May 12, 2026 — Center for Southeast Asian Social Studies at Universitas Gadjah Mada (CESASS UGM) hosted Prof. Bernhard Grimm from Humboldt University, Germany, during his visit as a visiting professor at UGM. In a discussion hosted by Dr. phil. Vissia Ita Yulianto and Prof. Dr. drh. Wayan Tunas Artama from the Biotechnology Research Center, Prof. Grimm shared his insights on the rapidly evolving energy landscape in Southeast Asia amid growing concerns over climate change, global energy insecurity, and geopolitical tensions.
A central theme of the conversation was Southeast Asia’s enormous renewable energy potential and the opportunities available for Indonesia to become a major leader in sustainable energy development.
One of the key insights shared by Prof. Grimm was his surprise at the abundance of renewable energy resources in Indonesia, including solar, geothermal, and hydropower energy, as well as how much of this potential remains underutilized.
“Indonesia possesses extraordinary renewable energy resources that many countries in the world would envy,” Prof. Grimm noted during the discussion. “The challenge is not the lack of resources, but how to transform this potential into long-term sustainable energy systems.”
The discussion also examined Germany’s successful experience in becoming one of the world’s leading solar energy producers despite receiving significantly less sunlight than tropical countries such as Indonesia. According to Prof. Grimm, Germany’s achievement was made possible not because of geography, but because of long-term policy consistency, technological innovation, public participation, and sustained investment in renewable energy infrastructure.
The conversation further reflected on the broader social and political dimensions of the energy transition. As she learnt, Dr. Ita clarified that renewable energy transformation is not merely a technological issue, but also a matter of governance, leadership, and public trust: “For me as a social scientist, this conversation was a powerful reminder that, from a planetary perspective, the energy transition depends not only on natural resources, but even more on policy vision, leadership, public trust, and long-term commitment from policymakers, investors, researchers, and future innovators.”
Prof. Grimm also addressed important lessons Indonesia can learn from Germany’s energy transition experience, including the importance of policy consistency, public engagement, and avoiding mistakes related to uneven implementation and overdependence on short-term political priorities.
Through this discussion, CESASS aims to encourage wider public dialogue on sustainability, climate responsibility, and the future of energy transformation in Indonesia and Southeast Asia.
