Indonesia

The new initiative features plans for 1 MW solar minigrids tied with 4 MWh of accompanying battery energy storage, to be deployed across 80,000 villages, alongside 20 GW of centralised solar power plants.

The role of solar PV in Indonesia will extend beyond replacing coal-based electricity generation; it will also include the production of e-fuels for hard-to-abate segments, offering an alternative to land-intensive biofuel production. A recent study explores, through various scenarios, the cost-competitiveness of solar PV-based electrification in supporting Indonesia’s renewable energy transition.

Indonesia has the resources to quickly increase the share of renewables in its power mix, including abundant solar, geothermal and pumped storage potential to help stabilize the grid. The government has introduced policies to attract foreign investment, including through the Just Energy Transition Partnership, but it is still sending mixed signals about phasing out coal in favor of renewables.

China-headquartered battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL), together with a subsidiary and partners have officially broken ground on a vertically integrated battery manufacturing and recycling facility in Indonesia.

Chinese solar manufacturer Longi and Indonesian state-owned energy company Pertamina have started construction on a 1.4 GW solar cell and module production facility in West Java, Indonesia.

Indonesian state-owned energy company Pertamina New & Renewable Energy has acquired a 20% stake in Philippine solar developer Citicore Renewable Energy Corp. for about $186 million, with both companies planning joint investments in solar and other renewable projects in Indonesia.

Indonesia and Singapore have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop a solar manufacturing supply chain in Indonesia’s Riau Islands province, as part of broader plans to enable cross-border clean energy trading.

TotalEnergies and RGE have signed a co-investment agreement to develop and operate a solar-plus-storage project in Indonesia. The utility-scale plant will be built and managed by Singa Renewables, their equally owned joint venture.

The Indonesian province of Bali plans to scale up rooftop solar installations across government buildings, public facilities, and businesses to reduce dependence on fossil-based electricity.

United States-headquartered PV module manufacturer SEG Solar has successfully commissioned a solar cell factory in Indonesia with the first N-type cell produced at the facility having rolled off the production line.