Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES) is stepping up its renewable energy efforts, installing solar panels across most major campus buildings and diversifying into other clean energy sources, in a bid to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and advance its sustainability goals.
The university has fitted photovoltaic systems on facilities including the Rectorate Building, Information Technology Center, Library, LP2M, LP3, waste management units and all faculty buildings. The installations, which also supply street and park lighting and charge electric vehicles on campus, have a combined capacity of 401,325 Wp and generate around 468,747 kWh of electricity annually.
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UNNES is also developing other renewable energy technologies. A biogas unit at student dormitories produces 43 kWh per year from household waste, while mechanical engineering researchers have created biomass briquettes from sengon wood waste (0.4 kWh/year).
Joint work between the chemical and mechanical engineering departments has produced biodiesel from used cooking oil and coconut shells (0.5 kWh/year). A wind turbine prototype generates 0.3 kWh/year. Together, these sources produce 401,369.2 kWh annually, about 5.73% of the university’s total yearly consumption of 7,007,130 kWh.
The institution enforces efficiency policies such as maintaining air conditioning at a minimum 25°C, restricting elevator use to peak hours, and using building designs to maximize natural light. Energy use per person is monitored digitally and averages about 126.78 kWh annually.
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UNNES also employs an online monitoring platform, accessible at https://office.unnes.ac.id/, to track electricity consumption, solar output and electric vehicle performance in real time. All new buildings are required to include solar panels where possible, and more than 80% of existing facilities now have solar systems and digital controls installed.
By combining renewable energy infrastructure, efficiency measures and digital monitoring, UNNES aims to support the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 13 (Climate Action). The university positions itself as both a center of academic learning and an active participant in Indonesia’s shift toward cleaner energy.
