Solar village project launched in Besakih community forest

Denpasar — Pertamina’s Desa Energi Berdikari (Energy-Independent Village) programme has introduced a new solar power installation in Besakih, Karangasem, to support community forestry and ecotourism activities managed by the Maha Wana Basuki village forest institution.

According to a report by IDXChannel, the Besakih initiative is developed in cooperation with the Lembaga Pengelola Hutan Desa (LPHD) Maha Wana Basuki under a social forestry scheme that turns previously degraded land into a productive community forest. The area is described as Huluning Bali Rajya, the upstream region of Bali, making environmental balance a central objective of its management, LPHD chair I Nyoman Artana said.

CNN Indonesia reported that the Besakih site is equipped with a solar power plant with a capacity of 6.6 kilowatt-peak (kWp) and a 20 kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery system. Pertamina uses the electricity to run an automatic honey extractor and provide lighting for a camping tourism area within the forest. The project is implemented through Pertamina’s Integrated Terminal Manggis unit in Karangasem, which has been collaborating with local forestry and environmental agencies to develop agroforestry in the Maha Wana Basuki forest.

Vice President Corporate Communication Pertamina Fadjar Djoko Santoso said the renewable-energy installation is designed to support both environmental conservation and local economic growth. He explained that the programme is expected to help drive economic activity in the social-forestry area through tourism and non-timber forest products, with an estimated potential monthly income of about Rp120 million from tourism and forest-product processing, based on projected visitor numbers and production.

Sindonews similarly reported that Pertamina sees a potential income increase of up to Rp123 million per month from tourism and non-timber forest products in Besakih.

CNN Indonesia further noted that the solar system is expected to reduce electricity costs by around Rp14 million per year and cut carbon emissions by an estimated 8.59 tonnes of CO2 equivalent annually. These projections are based on current utilisation plans for honey processing and camping-area lighting and are presented as potential outcomes rather than guaranteed returns.

Community forest and upstream protection

IDXChannel quoted LPHD Maha Wana Basuki chairman I Nyoman Artana as saying that the Besakih forest is managed with a focus on environmental balance because the area forms the upstream region of the island. He stressed that maintaining the health of the upper watershed is important for downstream communities, linking forest management to broader resilience against natural disasters and climate impacts.

NusaBali reported that Pertamina Patra Niaga Regional Jatimbalinus, Integrated Terminal Manggis, the Bali Provincial Forestry and Environment Office, UPTD KPH Bali Timur and the Maha Wana Basuki forest group are jointly developing agroforestry in the Besakih village forest. The collaboration aims to combine tree planting, non-timber forest product development and ecotourism, supported by the new solar-powered facilities.

Part of a wider energy-independent village programme

CNN Indonesia noted that the Besakih project is one of Pertamina’s Desa Energi Berdikari (DEB) initiatives, with the company targeting 80 such energy-independent villages in 2025. In Bali, Pertamina has supported other DEB projects, including Uma Palak Lestari in Denpasar, where solar and micro-hydro power are used for irrigation and agricultural processing. At Uma Palak, additional solar capacity of 6.6 kWp and a 20 kWh battery were provided to power modern irrigation systems and a solar-driven rice mill.

The Institute for Essential Services Reform (IESR) has separately documented how solar power plants are helping create energy self-sufficient villages in several Balinese communities, including Peguyangan and Serangan, by pairing rooftop solar with local economic activities. While those projects are not identical to Pertamina’s Besakih installation, they form part of a broader effort to link renewable energy, tourism and community-based resource management in Bali.

Sources

• CNN Indonesia – Program DEB, Pertamina Hijaukan Hutan Besakih Lewat Energi Terbarukan
• Sindonews – Pertamina Patra Niaga Inisiasi Desa Energi Berdikari di Desa Besakih
• NusaBali – Pertamina Kembangkan Agroforestri Hutan Desa di Besakih Dukung Pembangunan Berkelanjutan
• IDXChannel – Lewat Program DEB, Pertamina Hadirkan Energi Terbarukan di Besakih Bali
• IESR – Tracing Denpasar's Transition Towards Clean Energy
• JPNN – Pertamina Terapkan Teknologi dan Energi Ramah Lingkungan di DEB Uma Palak Lestari