Q: Hi Aulia. Could you share a bit about your background? Do your parents provide you with support and guidance in your new undertaking?

My parents hail from Javanese and Sundanese backgrounds, and I was born in Bandung. However, I grew up in Bekasi, West Java. During my high school years, my parents steered me towards engineering courses, assuming the difficulty in finding employment with a social science degree. I was unsure in the beginning, but I eventually decided to pursue electrical engineering at ITB. My decision received full support from my parents.

Observing the minimal representation of women in my chosen major, I began to understand why engineering disciplines are often labeled as predominantly male. Upon closer examination, I noticed that none of my lecturers at the time were women, and there were no female teaching assistants or laboratory supervisors. Furthermore, even the energy concession laboratory lacked facilities for women, requiring me to move to another building if I needed to use the restroom while working in the laboratory.

Textbooks were predominantly authored by men. During my time at university, I observed that seminars were typically led by male presenters. Female speakers were occasionally featured, typically on occasions such as Kartini's Day or Mother's Day, where they would address topics related to balancing motherhood and career. Meanwhile, male speakers were invited to discuss topics within their respective scientific fields, including the latest advancements in solar panel technology or enhancing plant productivity.

As I contemplated my career path and sought employment opportunities, I pondered whether I wanted to remain in the electrical sector and whether I could succeed in it. At that point in my early twenties, my perspective may have been somewhat limited. I wondered if staying in the electrical field would lead to a successful career for me.

Q: Can you please provide a brief overview of your career path leading up to your involvement in the ACCESS project?

I started my career in sales at Paragon, a company manufacturing Wardah and Make Over cosmetics. Subsequently, I transitioned into e-commerce at Tokopedia. During this period, I refrained from pursuing opportunities in the electrical sector due to doubts regarding my capabilities in that field. I felt that my academic knowledge was not being fully utilized. However, by 2018, I came to realize my dissatisfaction with the sales profession, particularly the constant pressure to meet numerical targets. This aspect of the job was draining and lacked the challenge I sought. Sales jobs were not for me.

At that time, I learned of a vacancy at the State Electricity Company (PLN). After consulting with my parents and several experienced colleagues who had worked at PLN, I discovered that the company was undergoing significant changes, that PLN was no longer dominated solely by men and moving away from traditional practices like insider recruitment. Instead, recruitment processes are now entirely overseen by external institutions. Fortunately, I was accepted into PLN, marking my return to the electrical power sector. My initial placement was in Jombang, East Java, where I encountered unexpected challenges despite the distance of less than 1,000 km to the capital. The situation was still not ideal. The electrical system faced frequent disruptions due to weather conditions and damage from various sources like trees, bats, and reptiles. Implementing strategic network maintenance became crucial to ensure an uninterrupted power supply, particularly for students preparing for exams who needed electricity to study at night.

During 2018-2019, numerous seminars were held on renewable energy, with the Sosim Cirata PLT project garnering significant attention. I discovered my passion for the electrical power sector during this time. While working at PLN, I also focused on numerical targets, such as limiting the frequency of outages per month or maintaining the maximum system failure index within a certain percentage. However, I realized that these numbers held significant meaning as they directly affected people's lives. It was in this environment that I became convinced that this was the path I truly enjoyed.

Subsequently, I was relocated to a remote village in Banten, nestled deep within forests. Establishing an electrical network in such areas proved to be costly, although the sole customers were households benefiting from subsidized rates. Renewable energy emerged as the solution for ensuring continued access to electricity in these remote regions. Unfortunately, at that time, only the central PLN had renewable energy resources.

Then, I considered the idea of returning to university because I felt I lacked the expertise needed to fully grasp the renewable energy field. In 2019, I pursued a master's degree to bolster my understanding, and by 2020, I had completed my studies and returned to Indonesia. Then, I joined EPC Development, a consultancy specializing in renewable energy. My primary task was to assess the feasibility and viability of Solar Power Plant (PLTS) projects. Having served there for nearly two years as a team leader, I felt ready for a fresh challenge. It was then that I learned about job openings at UNDP through the Renewable Engineer Community Group. I applied and was grateful to be selected as a Technical Analyst on Rural Electrification. I commenced my role in October 2022, which means I've been with UNDP for a year and six months. I thoroughly enjoy my work at UNDP and eagerly anticipate the completion of PLTS projects.

Q: What motivates you to continue working in the renewable energy field?

There are two primary driving factors. First, it's for future career opportunities. I am confident that the electrical power sector will endure because electricity has become a fundamental necessity for humanity, akin to clothing, food, and shelter. Without electricity, essential services like the internet would cease to function. I believe that the field of renewable and sustainable energy will last throughout my lifetime, providing me with the assurance that my knowledge and skills will remain valuable and sought after.

Secondly, renewable energy is a field that resonates with me due to its inherent sense of purpose. It goes beyond merely pursuing sales targets. The ongoing work on PLTS by ACCESS is not without its challenges, as its capacity is constrained. Therefore, I find this field challenging, and provides me with a deeper sense of purpose in life.

Q: Kindly elaborate on the concept of a solar power plant (PLTS) and its societal implications.

A solar power plant is a facility that converts solar radiation, made up of light, heat, and ultraviolet radiation, into electricity. The development of solar power plants (PLTS) in Indonesia began back in 2013. Now, in 2024, significant advancements have been made in the technology, resulting in more sophisticated and compact systems at lower costs with higher productivity. As technology progresses, investment costs decrease, prompting more extensive research on the feasibility of replacing conventional energy sources with PLTS over the next few decades. The viability of this transition depends on various factors, including technological innovations, investor interest, and crucially, government regulation.

Between 2019 and 2024, there has been a notable increase in discussions, seminars, and community events centered around renewable energy. However, the progress in developing regulations to facilitate the expansion of PLTS (solar power plants) has been limited. Despite expectations of new regulations governing non-rooftop PLTS to be introduced this year, they are still undergoing discussions. This uncertainty poses a significant barrier for investors, as the lack of clear regulations may discourage them from investing in non-rooftop PLTS projects.