Consultant as Power Sector Analyst

Program Overview

WRI Indonesia’s Energy & Sustainable Business (ESB) team works to advance reliable, clean energy and reduce carbon emissions while balancing the need for economic advancement. WRI Indonesia believes that sustainable development highlights the need for integrated approaches to finding solutions aligned with the challenge of achieving economic, social and environmental goals that are often interlinked. Therefore, the ESB team aims to work across disciplines with the cities, climate and ocean team to combine low-carbon technology systems, quantitative models, and other policy-making decision tools to achieve and support critical national initiatives in Indonesia, such as the acceleration of the achievement of national renewable energy targets and net zero ambition.

WRI Indonesia ESB team is growing one of our strengths as a thought leader in industrial decarbonization. Supporting Indonesia’s pledge to Net Zero Emissions, we seek to advance private sector contribution towards net zero at any business scale. With our partners in KADIN Net Zero Hub and the Ministry of Industry, we instil the SBTi framework through training and consultations with companies, then facilitate them in developing and implementing the decarbonization strategy. Moreover, we also attempt to boost sector-wide decarbonization and competitiveness enhancement through roadmap and policies, including carbon pricing, green industrial development, and carbon abatement governance.

Specifically in the energy sector, one of our flagship initiatives is the Clean Energy Investment Accelerator (CEIA). CEIA is an innovative public-private partnership initiative that advances policy and financing frameworks to meet the clean energy needs of industrial energy consumers. As the largest energy consumer group, the industrial sectors could use their buying power to drive energy transition through policy advocacy, business models and technology adoption. The CEIA focuses on critical global emerging markets, including Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Colombia, and Mexico. CEIA Indonesia established a Working Group consisting of large energy buyers from industrial and commercial sectors and has been holding a series of dialogues to identify and refine areas for public-private collaboration and advance optimal solutions for corporate procurement of renewable energy.

WRI Indonesia, HSBC, and WWF Indonesia also administer the Climate Solutions Partnership (CSP), aiming to accelerate a just and affordable transition to a resilient, net-zero economy. Through CSP, the consortium is working together to raise corporate ambition, demonstrate efficient and renewable energy solutions, and grow low-carbon business and financing opportunities in Asia. Further, WRI Indonesia, under the extension of CSP scope, is also spearheading the development of a clean technology project by facilitating and undertaking transactions.

In the next five years, we are advancing our expertise in decarbonization within manufacturing industries (e.g., F&B, chemical, iron & steel, etc.). Through the Sustainable Energy Transition Indonesia (SETI) project, WRI Indonesia aims to build our institutional knowledge of clean heat solutions and energy efficiency measures to strengthen our impact on industry decarbonization issues. By focusing on several industrial subsectors, we will gain an in-depth understanding of each sector’s challenges, opportunities and pathways to maximize emission reduction from energy use.

Job Highlight

The Power Sector Analyst will be tasked to conduct research and develop specific activities related to corporate renewable power procurement (e.g., REC, Green Tariff, Power Wheeling), captive power transition, early retirement of unabated power plants, low-carbon technology (e.g., incl. Nickel-based Battery), electrification of industrial process heat & process, and renewable energy development for industrial parks. The analyst must stay abreast with the power sector in international and domestic stages, such as the ASEAN Power Grid, cross-border EAC trading, and JETP. To develop meaningful work in the power sector, the analyst must engage with key stakeholders, such as the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MoEMR), DG Electricity and PT. PLN (Persero). Moreover, quantitative analytics, critical thinking, stakeholder collaboration and data acquisition are expected and highly rewarded skills for this position. In strategizing the research target, data acquisition, and analysis, the analyst will work with other analysts and senior analysts within WRI Indonesia’s Energy & Sustainable Business (ESB) Team. Occasionally, the analyst will collaborate with WRI’s International Offices, mainly SEA, India and China, to strengthen our regional research footprints. He/she will report directly to the Sr. Manager for Energy and Sustainable Business Manager and collaborate with the ESB team to develop research pipelines and projects with heavy research content. Lastly, The Energy Research Analyst must firmly commit to implementing WRI’s mission and values – integrity, innovation, urgency, independence, and respect.

What You Will Do

• Contribute to the development and execution of the research pipeline under WRI’s Energy and Sustainable Business (ESB) team, especially on corporate renewable power procurement (e.g., REC, Green Tariff, Power Wheeling), captive power transition, early retirement of unabated power plants, low-carbon technology (e.g., incl. Nickel-based Battery), electrification of industrial process heat & process, and renewable energy development for industrial parks.
• Acquire data and track the development of renewable energy development, early termination of unabated coal power plants, and climate finance mobilization for RE development.
• Maintain relationships and provide technical assistance to PT. PLN (Persero) and relevant ministries in close coordination with the ESB engagement team.
• Contribute to the techno-economic studies and other project activities with intense research content in close collaboration with partners (corporates, technology providers, external consultants, or government) to produce policy recommendations or technical guidelines.
• Provide mentorship and direction to research assistants with the project and personal growth orientation.
• Contribute to WRI’s strategic discussions relevant to advancing WRI’s research excellence and portfolio expansion of WRI Energy and Sustainable Business Programs.
• Contribute to proposal writing and reporting to donors.

  What You Will Need

  • Bachelor’s degree in electrical (power) engineering, energy and environmental economics, natural resource management, or other engineering and related fields.
  • Minimum of three years of relevant full-time work experience in industries with energy-related job desks, energy consulting firms, or think tanks.
  • Background and expertise on one or more of the following topics would be considered an asset:
    1. Grid integration and power system planning.
    2. RE project development and procurement.
    3. Power sector and utility reform.
       • Experience in quantitative analysis, extracting reputable research output, and contextualizing the findings from the research into policy.
       • Articulate, versatile, skilled writer with professional writing experience.
       • Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced office environment and cross-sectoral themes independently and as part of a global team across time zones.
       • Excellent interpersonal communication skills.
       • Adaptable to rapidly changing priorities, managing multiple deadlines, and delivering high-quality work products.
       • Experience in stakeholder management, especially with PLN and MoEMR.
       • Fluent in English and Bahasa Indonesia.
       • Legally able to work in Indonesia.

         Preferred qualification

         • Master’s degree in advanced engineering, economics, public policy, and environmental management.
         • Experience working in the development sector and collaborating with government institutions.
         • Author and co-author research publications and opinion pieces.
         • Knowledge of the fossil fuel industry, hard to abate and fossil-dependent sectors.

           Deliverables

           1. Produce two full-length studies (i.e., brief, working paper, report, technical guidelines).
           2. Produce two short analyses (position papers, blog posts, op-eds, policy alerts).
           3. Participate in capacity development and engagement with key stakeholders in the power sector.
           4. Involve in team discussions for project development, monitoring, and evaluation.

              Duration