Mernawati Jodding Powers Jeneponto’s Investment with Australian Support
Across the breezy, wide-open terrain of South Sulawesi’s Jeneponto Regency, a row of towering wind turbines symbolises Indonesia’s shift toward clean energy. Behind this transformation lies nearly a decade of Dr Mernawati Jodding’s sustained collaboration with Australia, turning once-quiet land into a renewable energy hub in eastern Indonesia.
What began as an effort to promote her region’s potential grew into a long-standing partnership with Australian institutions, one that has brought renewable energy investment and knowledge to Jeneponto while strengthening local institutions.
Beyond advancing Australia-linked energy projects, Mernawati led the establishment of formal cooperation between Jeneponto and the Australian Consulate-General in Makassar. Through this partnership, she facilitated multiple high-level discussions on the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA) Katalis program to deepen economic integration.
Mernawati’s quiet determination to foster energy and investment cooperation between Jeneponto and Australia – and ultimately beyond – has earned her recognition as the Australian Alumni Awards – South Sulawesi winner for the Collaboration Partnership Award, presented by the Australian Consulate-General in Makassar on 24 January 2026.
‘Australia has become not only a partner in dialogue and development, but also a catalyst for my growth and learning,’ said Mernawati.
A Journey of Building Partnership with Australia
In 2017, Mernawati was leading Jeneponto’s Investment and One-Stop Integrated Services Agency (DPMPTSP). Her engagement with Australian counterparts began with a simple goal: to showcase Jeneponto to a broader network of investors who could help unlock its potential.
She observed that the regency’s vast plains had strong, stable wind currents, well-suited for a wind farm that would provide clean, reliable electricity and create multiplier effects for the local community.
Rather than waiting for investors to come, she took the initiative to approach them. She went above and beyond to attract funding and get wind turbines turning in the regency. She attended investor forums at home and abroad and, both literally and figuratively, knocked on the doors of foreign consulates general to promote Jeneponto’s wind potential.
‘I realised that Jeneponto holds significant potential for alternative energy. But to turn that potential into reality, I needed support from external partners. We should never hesitate to knock on doors,’ said Mernawati.
Her hard work paid off. The Australian Consulate-General in Makassar was the first to open its doors. With the support from the then Australian Consul-General Richard Mathews, a renewable energy forum was held in Jeneponto in March 2018, which gathered Australian investors, academics, researchers and local policymakers.
The forum was a success. Equis Funds – now Vena Energy – an energy and infrastructure private equity firm, stepped in to develop the wind farm. The rest is history. The Tolo 1 Wind Farm began operations in 2019, becoming Indonesia’s second wind farm after the Sidrap Wind Farm in the neighbouring Sidrap Regency.
‘Getting the Tolo Wind Farm up and running required bringing stakeholders together across sectors. It meant building trust and convincing decision-makers at both the local and central government levels that the project was not only viable but achievable. Pak Richard’s presence strengthened my efforts to assure them that this project could truly take off,’ said Mernawati.
Attracting Investment to Jeneponto
Leading efforts to attract investment to Jeneponto was one of the most challenging tasks in Mernawati’s 24-year careeras a civil servant.
At the time, Jeneponto’s economic indicators were far from encouraging, with the second-highest poverty rate in South Sulawesi Province. Despite being a coastal regency with abundant forestry and marine resources – particularly salt and milkfish – investment remained insufficient to drive meaningful economic growth.
‘The regency did not have an investment roadmap or branding master plan to make it stand out among its peers,’ Mernawati recalled. ‘There was also a significant lack of skilled workers, even among my staff. Although the resources were abundant, they generated only a minimal multiplier effect for the people of Jeneponto.’
Confronted with budget constraints and a difficult economic and social environment, the regency turned to investment to advance its development agenda.
Mernawati recognised that the region needed to overhaul its investment climate and make it easier to do business. She began with bureaucratic reform, streamlining 54 investment-related permits into 15. To ensure smoother processing and minimise opportunities for corruption, she introduced an online application system.
During the development of the Tolo 1 Wind Farm, she facilitated every stage of the process – from environmental assessments to land acquisition.
Reform also extended to her own office. Each day, she was the first to arrive, checking that the CCTV was operational, that refreshments were available and that computer systems were running smoothly.
‘We’re in the public service business, so we must facilitate investors, provide incentives, and deliver good customer service,’ she remarked.
Strengthening Energy Expertise in Australia
While facilitating the Tolo project, Mernawati recognised the need to deepen her understanding of the energy sector, particularly renewables.
In 2018, she joined the Australia Awards Short Course on Renewable Energy Technologies at Griffith University in Brisbane. During the two-week course she gained first-hand insight into how Brisbane developed and managed renewable energy initiatives, including rooftop solar installations and electric vehicles. She also observed how the city converted food waste from restaurants into electricity and animal feed.
‘Initially, I focused only on investment-related matters. But that wasn’t enough. I realised I needed to have a solid understanding – though not too technical – of electricity and renewable energy. Studying in Brisbane opened my eyes to how local resources – the sun, food waste – can be transformed into energy and other value-added products,’ she said.
Beyond the Australia Awards Short Course, Mernawati also studied electricity interconnection in Denmark under a Danish scholarship.
Recognition for Reforms to Grow Investment
Mernawati’s efforts to reform the investment climate in Jeneponto have earned accolades, including the regency being named the Best Replication District by KINERJA-USAID (United States Agency for International Development), an advocacy program aimed at improving public services.
Under her leadership, Jeneponto achieved the second-highest investment realisation among regencies. In 2019, ‘Jeneponto Smart Branding’—her initiative to market the region’s renewable energy potential to global partners, including Australia—won the Governor’s Award for Innovation.
‘I learned that women’s leadership goes beyond holding a position. It is about the willingness to go the extra mile, foster collaboration and build international trust,’ she said.
‘The first knock on the door resulted in the Tolo Wind Farm, the Jeneponto Smart Branding and a series of study sessions. All of these are woven into a partnership between two nations,’ said Mernawati, who currently serves as Head of Jeneponto’s Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Office.
Envisioning a Future Beyond Renewable Energy
While Mernawati no longer oversees investment in her current role, she continues to support the Australia-Indonesia partnership through her participation in Australia Awards networks. She hosts workshops and serves as a speaker on Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI), another issue she is passionate about.
She remains committed to leveraging renewable energy as a catalyst for growth in the region.
‘My experience in renewable energy has opened doors to collaboration across diverse sectors. I dream of Jeneponto becoming a renewable energy visitor centre. We have the wind, the sun and biogas – we have everything we need right here,’ she said.
One of her ideas is to position the Tolo Wind Farm as a tourist attraction to create business opportunities and stimulate economic growth. Inspired by her experience in the Short Course, she also plans to promote biogas production and energy-saving measures, such as rooftop solar panels in government offices.
For future collaboration, she hopes to work with Australian partners to address GEDSI issues, democracy and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise development.
‘I am always open to collaboration, even beyond investment, whether it relates to women’s empowerment or democracy,’ she added. ‘I believe there will be even more collaboration with Australia in the future.’
