Community-Based Solar Panel Installation and Maintenance Training for Energy Independence in the Riau Islands
Abstract
The Riau Islands, like many regions in Indonesia, faces challenges related to energy access and sustainability. Despite efforts to improve energy infrastructure, remote communities continue to struggle with reliable power supply, especially in rural and isolated areas. In response to these challenges, the research explores the potential of community-based solar panel installation and maintenance training as a solution to promote energy independence and sustainability. The study aims to assess the effectiveness of training programs in empowering local communities to independently manage and maintain solar energy systems. Using a mixed-methods approach, the research employed both qualitative and quantitative methods to evaluate the impact of the training. Surveys and interviews were conducted with participants from selected communities in the Riau Islands to measure knowledge acquisition, skill development, and the sustainability of the solar panels installed. The results indicate significant improvements in local capacity to install and maintain solar energy systems, leading to enhanced energy independence and reduced reliance on external sources. The study concludes that community-based solar panel training programs can significantly contribute to energy sustainability in remote regions, empowering local populations to take control of their energy needs. The research underscores the importance of investing in renewable energy education as part of broader efforts to achieve energy independence in Indonesia.
Full text article
References
Allen, T. G., Ugur, E., Aydin, E., Subbiah, A. S., & De Wolf, S. (2025). A Practical Efficiency Target for Perovskite/Silicon Tandem Solar Cells. ACS Energy Letters, 10(1), 238–245. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsenergylett.4c02152
Chanda, H., Mohareb, E., Peters, M., & Harty, C. (2025). Community-led solar energy technology adoption in rural Zambia: The role of observational learning and neighbor influence. Energy Research & Social Science, 122, 103972. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2025.103972
Chawla, A., Sudhaik, A., Sonu, Kumar, R., Raizada, P., Ahamad, T., Khan, A. A. P., Van Le, Q., Nguyen, V.-H., Thakur, S., & Singh, P. (2025). Bi2S3-based photocatalysts: Properties, synthesis, modification strategies, and mechanistic insights towards environmental sustainability and green energy technologies. Coordination Chemistry Reviews, 529, 216443. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ccr.2025.216443
Devaraj, M., & Zhou, X. (2025). Recent advances in photocatalytic performances of layered double hydroxides-based materials for VOCs and CO2 mitigation: A comprehensive review. Coordination Chemistry Reviews, 532, 216509. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ccr.2025.216509
Enaloui, R., Sharifi, S., Faridpak, B., Hammad, A., Al-Hussein, M., & Musilek, P. (2025). Techno-economic assessment of a solar-powered green hydrogen storage concept based on reversible solid oxide cells for residential micro-grid: A case study in Calgary. Energy, 319, 134981. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2025.134981
Hayakawa, H., Ebihara, Y., Mishev, A., Koldobskiy, S., Kusano, K., Bechet, S., Yashiro, S., Iwai, K., Shinbori, A., Mursula, K., Miyake, F., Shiota, D., Silveira, M. V. D., Stuart, R., Oliveira, D. M., Akiyama, S., Ohnishi, K., Ledvina, V., & Miyoshi, Y. (2025). The Solar and Geomagnetic Storms in 2024 May: A Flash Data Report. The Astrophysical Journal, 979(1), 49. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad9335
Kumar, A., Thorbole, A., & Gupta, R. K. (2025). Sustaining the future: Semiconductor materials and their recovery. Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing, 185, 108943. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mssp.2024.108943
Meng, Q., Hussain, S., Luo, F., Wang, Z., & Jin, X. (2025). An Online Reinforcement Learning-Based Energy Management Strategy for Microgrids With Centralized Control. IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications, 61(1), 1501–1510. https://doi.org/10.1109/TIA.2024.3430264
Nawaz, M. H., Shahid, M. K., Gupta, R. K., Jalil, R., Chuang, F.-C., & Pham, P. V. (2025). Flatland of Graphene’s derivatives: Classification, synthesis, mechanisms, role of defects, applications, and prospectives. Coordination Chemistry Reviews, 528, 216421. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ccr.2024.216421
Qi, L., Yang, Y., Yang, Z., Qi, J., Zhou, Y., Zhu, Z., & Li, J. (2025). Antifouling characteristics and mechanisms in visible-light photocatalytic membrane bioreactor based on g-C3N4 modified membrane. Water Research, 268, 122581. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2024.122581
Safarpour, A., Laleh, S. S., & Soltani, S. (2025). Identifying challenges, benefits, and recommendations for utilizing solar panels in sport stadiums: A thematic analysis. Progress in Engineering Science, 2(1), 100035. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pes.2024.100035
Sovacool, B. K. (2025). The low?carbon risk society: Dilemmas of risk–risk tradeoffs in energy innovations, transitions, and climate policy. Risk Analysis, 45(1), 78–107. https://doi.org/10.1111/risa.14667
Xiang, J., Han, C., Cheng, Y., Gao, Q., Hu, W., Zhou, Y., Mei, A., Zhou, Y., & Han, H. (2025). Recent Progress and Advances of Perovskite Crystallization in Carbon?Based Printable Mesoscopic Solar Cells. Advanced Materials, 37(9), 2415405. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202415405
Xie, P., Wang, Q.-S., Qu, W.-Y., Chen, X., Feng, Y.-J., Ma, J., Ren, N.-Q., & Ho, S.-H. (2025). Revealing real impact of microalgae on seasonal dynamics of bacterial community in a pilot-scale microalgal-bacterial consortium system. Water Research, 274, 123145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2025.123145
Zhao, A. P., Alhazmi, M., Huo, D., & Li, W. (2025). Psychological modeling for community energy systems. Energy Reports, 13, 2219–2229. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egyr.2025.01.031
Authors
Copyright (c) 2025 Sophie Vermeer, Sulaiman Sulaiman, Anna Bakker, Shaumiwaty Shaumiwaty

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.