By: Endang Susanti
The member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) are at an important crossroads in global environmental history. On the one hand, they face the increasingly real threat of climate crisis. Floods, extreme droughts, air pollution, and environmental degradation are now commonplace in many Islamic countries. On the other hand, they possess extraordinary potential to lead the global green energy revolution. With vast deserts and seas of sunlight, as well as abundant wind and geothermal resources, OIC countries are, in essence, untapped giants of clean energy.
Some countries in the Middle East and Africa, which are predominantly OIC member states, receive over 3,000 hours of sunlight per year. This makes the region one of the world’s largest solar energy potential areas. However, the reality is far from ideal. Many OIC countries still rely on fossil fuels that pollute the environment and are unsustainable. Low green investment, lack of technology, and weak regional cooperation have kept this potential dormant, even as the world increasingly pushes toward renewable energy.
However, a turning point has begun. Morocco has emerged as a pioneer with the Noor Ouarzazate Solar Complex project, one of the largest solar power plants in the world with a capacity of 580 MW, capable of offsetting 533,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. In the Gulf, the United Arab Emirates is building the Al Dhafra project with a capacity of 2 GW, which has already lit up 200,000 homes. If the same were applied in Indonesia, a solar power plant with a capacity of approximately 2 GW could serve 3.65 million households for one year. Additionally, Saudi Arabia is constructing the Sakaka PV IPP, which has provided 300 MW of energy. These projects are not only symbols of change but also evidence that OIC countries can lead the global energy transformation if there is a shared vision.
Indonesia, as an OIC member country with the largest Muslim population and abundant natural resources, plays a key role in this transformation. According to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), Indonesia has a renewable energy electricity potential of 432 GW, equivalent to 7-8 times the total installed capacity of power plants currently in operation, with hydroelectric power at around 75 GW and the world’s second-largest geothermal potential. Although Indonesia’s current utilisation of renewable energy is only around 13% of the total national energy mix, projects such as the Cirata floating solar power plant (145 MW) and the commitment to Net Zero Emissions by 2060 demonstrate that the shift towards green energy is becoming increasingly tangible. Indonesia’s participation in global initiatives such as the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) also opens up opportunities for cross-border cooperation among Islamic countries to strengthen solidarity and sustainable development.
To address these challenges and seize these opportunities, the OIC needs to develop an ambitious joint strategy. First, the formation of an OIC Clean Energy Alliance is necessary, connecting countries with technological and financial capacity (such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey) with resource-rich but infrastructure-poor nations. This collaboration could take the form of joint investments, technology transfer, and cross-border project development.
Second, research and innovation must be the backbone. The OIC can establish an Islamic Renewable Energy Innovation Council to develop affordable, adaptive, and climate- and socio-culturally appropriate energy technologies. Higher education in the Islamic world must also be directed towards producing the next generation of energy engineers and innovators.
Third, the spiritual and social potential of Islam can be harnessed through models such as energy waqf. Waqf is not only for mosques and schools but also for building solar power plants in remote villages, hospitals, and public facilities. With this approach, the ummah not only participates in charitable deeds but also in ecological jihad to defend the earth as a trust from God.
Fourth, the narrative of energy transition leadership must be part of Islamic diplomacy. The OIC needs to frame the issues of climate change and renewable energy as part of the global moral responsibility of the Muslim community. The OIC’s leadership in global climate conferences must not be symbolic but strategic, bringing projects, initiatives, and concrete actions to the international stage.
With natural resources, social potential, and the spirit of Islamic justice, OIC countries can be more than just spectators in the global green energy revolution. They can be the main drivers of change. From the deserts of Morocco to the tropical forests of Indonesia, from the heat of the Arabian Peninsula to the coastal winds of Africa, the future of clean energy worldwide can be shaped by the strength of the Islamic world if there is vision, solidarity, and the courage to act together.
Now, the world is waiting to see whether the OIC will remain a follower or dare to become a pioneer of the global clean energy revolution?. The choice lies in the hands of leaders, innovators, and Muslims themselves. Because in this crisis, silence is not an option. The earth awaits an answer.