Suzanne Lazaroo
14 March 2025: A transnational project led by the University of Canberra is laying the groundwork for an electric bus system in Indonesia, increasing accessibility and efficiency while also addressing greenhouse emissions in the country.
The project received a $647,118 grant from the Knowledge Partnership Platform Australia-Indonesia, or KONEKSI late last year. KONEKSI is a collaborative initiative in the knowledge and innovation sector supporting partnerships between Australian and Indonesian organisations for inclusive, sustainable policy and technology.
At the official launch of the project, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology Professor Janine Deakin said that the project was a meaningful and exciting opportunity for collaborative international transformation.
“At UC, our purpose has been encapsulated in the Ngunnawal word Galambany, which means we work to empower, connect and share knowledge with our people, cultures and places – and that’s exactly what we are doing with this partnership, which will provide solutions not only for Indonesia, but which will have global resonance,” she said.
The project’s official title is ‘Decarbonisation Pathways for Indonesia’s Buses Infrastructure (DIBI) using Routing Energy Estimation on Tool, Renewable Energy and Ecosystem Modelling’.
It is part of a broader Australia-Indonesia collaboration, with a focus on renewable energy and critical minerals. The Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR) and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) are the collaboration co-leads for Australia.
“The global transition to clean energy is a great challenge, but also an enormous opportunity, and one that Australia is very keen to be working with Indonesia on to mutual benefit,” said Alison Drury, General Manager, Trade and International Division, of the Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR).
His Excellency Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia Dr Siswo Pramono said that Indonesia was very committed to a renewable energy transition, and the electric vehicle system would be a significant component of the work towards it.
The one-year collaboration with the University forms a component of the larger electric vehicle (EV) project which also includes mapping supply chains, improving environmental, social and governance standards, joint scientific and research studies and the fostering of business-to-business links in the EV space.
“I see a lot of hope and a bright future in the way Australia and Indonesia are moving forward with this collaboration and I think the benefits will be to the entire region,” Dr Pramono said.
“This project is going to be a stepping stone or precursor towards the realisation of Indonesia's vision for decarbonisation.”
The project is co-led by Associate Professor Dr Ahmed Imran from the Faculty of Science and Technology, and Emeritus Professor Robert Fitzgerald from the Faculty of Education, both from the University’s Research Cluster for Digital Inequality and Social Change (RC DISC).
RC DISC is a multidisciplinary research group which focuses on addressing complex and emergent societal issues arising from inequalities in the digital divide. It spans both research spheres and faculties.
On this project, RC DISC will collaborate with a multitude of partners, including Universitas Sebelas Maret Surakarta (UNS) in Indonesia, and Dr Idris Sulaiman and Toby Roxburgh, from the National Electric Vehicle Centre of Excellence (NEVCE).
“With real-world societal impact as our aim, RC DISC members comprise both researchers, and practitioners who bring lived experience to bear on our projects,” Dr Imran said.
The research team will use a variety of modelling tools to provide an estimation and evaluation of different energy systems in use for the bus terminals and routes, retaining and enhancing what works and creating new innovations for the future electronic bus system.
While renewable energy is a key focus of the project, it is also geared towards supporting the build of an inclusive transport system. This will realise the principles of gender equality, disability and social inclusion, or GEDSI, a cornerstone of KONEKSI.
To that end, UNS and RC DISC are conducting testing with practitioners, passengers and commuters in Surakarta City, on the island of Java.
“It is important for the transport system to be built around real-life user experiences, so Professor Dr Wahyudi Sutopo from UNS, and his team, have already begun with surveys and data collection to capture the voices of passengers and commuters,” Dr Imran said.
“Our recommendations will inform the development of a better system, from inception to implementation.”
Claire Scott, Director of the Indonesia Trade and Economic Section at DFAT, said that the collaboration ultimately recognises that both Australia and Indonesia are striving towards net zero greenhouse gas emissions.
“And it's not something that we can do alone – indeed, globally, it's not something we can do without working together,” she said.
“So it's great to see so many institutions from Australia and Indonesia coming together to get us all a little bit closer to the goal.”
