Megawaty Khie spent nearly two decades supporting the growth of enterprise, SMB and consumer segments in the IT and telecommunications industries. She then turned her management expertise and passion for technology to the renewable energy sector and now runs her own business in a field she feels has enormous potential for growth, for connecting people, furthering development and improving quality of life. Her motto is “With passion, You Can Change the World.”
What Attracted You to Solar Energy?
When I was at HP we had a workshop with the Ministry of Education in Indonesia, which provides education to the remotest areas of the country, where we discussed what technologies were best suited to Indonesia’s size and needs. We quickly concluded that having access to an electrical grid was paramount: without a reliable source of electricity any technology was useless. We realized that the most practical way to provide electricity was solar energy since it could be installed in all parts of the country.
What Has Been the Biggest Challenge in Adopting Solar Power in Indonesia?
The government’s populist energy policy – the heavy subsidies it gives for electricity and fuel. The result has been waste and environmental degradation. In practical terms, the subsidies help the rich more than the needy poor. If the government invested the money in improving the country’s infrastructure instead of putting it into subsidies it would be a better way to raise the standard of living.
How Could This Be Achieved?
The government should provide a clear path to renewable energy in providing the right feed-in tariffs and incentives to encourage its use. I support renewable energy to meet our energy needs because it protects the environment now and for future generations.
How Can Solar Power Be Used to Meet the Challenges?
Perhaps the most important effect of implementing solar and other renewable energies is that it would hook up people to electricity who are now off the electrical grid and give them the opportunity to improve their lives.
What is the Business Potential for Green Energy?
A Paper on Renewable Energy by Ipsos Business Consulting forecast an increase of over 550 percent in the use of renewable energy in the ASEAN region between 2010 and 2030. This translates into enormous potential business opportunities for us to explore, while at the same time being good for the environment. It’s a win-win-win proposition!
PROFILE MAGAZINE 2/2013, page 6