Energy Justice and GEDSI: Bridging policy and equitable energy access in residential areas for inclusive electric vehicles development in Indonesia

Abstract

Indonesia’s rapid electric vehicle (EV) expansion, driven by national targets and growing private adoption, has intensified the urgency for equitable and inclusive charging infrastructure in residential areas. While Home Charging Service (HCS) installations have increased substantially, access remains uneven, particularly for residents of multi-unit dwellings (MUDs) who face structural, regulatory, and financial barriers to installing private chargers. Current regulations—spanning electricity, transportation, spatial planning, and building codes—operate in silos, resulting in fragmented implementation and limited guidance for residential charging provision. This paper examines these challenges through regulatory analysis, stakeholder interviews, and focus group discussions with key actors across government, PLN, developers, and civil society. Findings reveal four persistent barriers: regulatory misalignment, management and operational constraints at the property level, limited infrastructure readiness, and electrical-system constraints, all of which disproportionately affect low-income households, women, the elderly, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups. Drawing from global best practices, particularly California’s equity-centered Communities in Charge program, the study presents a framework for harmonizing multisectoral regulations and embedding GEDSI principles in the planning and deployment of residential charging. The paper recommends defining private installation standards, improving data integration, mandating EV-ready building codes, designing equitable financing mechanisms, and establishing a clear roadmap for residential charging. Ensuring equitable access to home and residential EV charging is essential not only for accelerating Indonesia’s EV ecosystem but also for advancing energy justice and creating a socially inclusive clean-mobility transition.