According to foreign media reports, recently, the world’s largestElectric vehicleBattery manufacturer CATL officially launched the construction of a battery material ecosystem in Indonesia, marking an important progress in the Indonesian government’s strategy to promote the deep processing of mineral resources.
Indonesian Ministry of Energy spokesman Dwi Anggia said that the lithium-ion battery factory cooperated by Indonesian companies and CATL is expected to be put into operation by the end of 2026, the initial yearCapacityis 6.9 GWh.
Image source: CATL
Dwi Anggia said that the plant will expand its electric vehicle power battery production line in the future, with a planned annual production capacity of up to 15 GWh, and the products will be supplied to the Indonesian and global markets simultaneously.
The factory, a joint venture between Indonesia Battery Corp and CATL, is part of the $6 billion power battery project signed in 2022. The project is jointly promoted by local enterprises such as PT Aneka Tambang Tbk, a state-owned mining enterprise in Indonesia, and a consortium jointly established by CATL, covering the entire industrial chain layout of nickel mining and processing, electric vehicle battery manufacturing to battery recycling.
Indonesian Energy Minister Bahlil Lahadalia said at the groundbreaking ceremony of the battery factory that the plant may also produce solar panels in the future. He added, “If the solar cell energy storage project is launched, the total capacity of the plant is expected to increase to 40 GWh. At present, the government is continuing to negotiate with the project party on relevant matters. ”
The battery plant will be located in West Java Province, Indonesia, and the rest of the supporting projects will be located in North Maluku Province, which is rich in nickel ore resources in eastern Indonesia.
Indonesia has the world’s largest reserves of nickel ore, which is a key component of batteries. Indonesia has been using these resources at a strategic level to attract investment in downstream manufacturing. To this end, the Indonesian government has set an ambitious plan to achieve the target of producing 600,000 electric vehicles per year by 2030, a figure that is about the same as last year’s Indonesian electric vehiclesCar sales13 times.
Indonesia’s policy requires companies to process minerals domestically rather than export raw materials, putting pressure on foreign companies. If foreign companies want to access Indonesia’s nickel resources, they need to establish manufacturing plants locally.
