Indonesia Eyes Mosques for Energy Independence Through Green Waqf Initiative

Indonesia is looking to its mosques and religious communities to power its clean energy transition through an innovative "Green Waqf" scheme. This initiative, discussed at the Indonesia Net-Zero Summit (INZS) 2026, aims to harness the vast financial potential of Islamic endowments and charitable funds to meet the nation's ambitious solar power goals.

The concept, presented as a "Faith-Based Contribution to Indonesia's Solarization Ambition," reframes the push for solar power as a community-driven movement rather than solely a corporate or technical endeavor. With an estimated Rp 400 trillion in Zakat, Infak, Sedekah, and Wakaf (ZISWAF) collected annually, and accumulated cash waqf alone reaching Rp 181 trillion, the potential social and economic capital is substantial.

M. Ali Yusuf, a commissioner from the Indonesian Waqf Board (BWI), emphasized that addressing the climate crisis aligns with core Islamic principles, including the preservation of religion, intellect, wealth, lineage, and life. The BWI actively promotes the Green Waqf Framework, positioning renewable energy as a key pillar for productive waqf development. "We in the Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Waqf Board are continuously seeking ways to gather this great potential, not just to record it as potential," Yusuf stated. "What we need is public support and literacy about waqf, whose benefits will surely return to the community in the long term, including the installation of solar panels on mosque roofs."

The installation of waqf-based solar panels offers a dual benefit: it significantly reduces or eliminates electricity bills for houses of worship and frees up operational funds. These savings can then be reinvested into sustainable community economic empowerment programs. The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources also highlighted its commitment to renewable energy, noting an increase in its share within the electricity supply business plan (RUPTL), from 52% in previous plans to 73% in the current one, which also includes battery storage.

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We in the Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Waqf Board are continuously seeking ways to gather this great potential, not just to record it as potential. What we need is public support and literacy about waqf, whose benefits will surely return to the community in the long term, including the installation of solar panels on mosque roofs.