Indonesia says EU seeks up to 20 mln tonnes of coal annually
Wednesday, May 6 2026 - 08:13 AM WIB
Indonesia has received requests from European countries for up to 20 million tonnes of coal per year, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia said, as some developed economies reconsider fossil fuels amid geopolitical tensions, including the ongoing Middle East conflicts.
He said the demand emerged as several countries, including in Europe and the United States, reopened options for coal use.
“Europe is opening up to coal again, and there are requests for 20 million tonnes per year,” Bahlil said at a public event in Jakarta over the weekend, without specifying which countries had made the request or when it was submitted.
His comments highlight shifting global energy strategies, as some advanced economies adjust their policies despite earlier commitments to accelerate the transition to cleaner energy sources.
Bahlil said the developments exposed inconsistencies in global energy transition efforts, noting that developing countries were being urged to phase out coal while some developed nations continued to rely on it for domestic needs.
Indonesia, one of the world’s largest coal exporters, is weighing both opportunities and challenges from the shifting demand while seeking to maintain domestic energy security, he added.
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The minister said the government would take a pragmatic approach, continuing to utilise domestic energy resources, including coal-fired power plants, to ensure electricity affordability and economic stability.
“In the short term, this is about survival and efficiency. We cannot burden our people with high electricity costs,” he said.
Bahlil added that Indonesia would not allow its energy policy to be dictated solely by external pressures, stressing that decisions would prioritise national interests.
While reaffirming the government’s long-term commitment to expanding renewable energy, he said coal would remain a key component of Indonesia’s energy mix in the near term to safeguard supply and price stability.
Indonesia is regularly ranked among the most resilient countries in terms of energy security, supported by its large coal reserves and production capacity, Bahlil said, citing industry assessments.
Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak