Palu SEZ receives Rp30 trillion investment commitment for BESS development

Palu (ANTARA) - The Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Palu, Central Sulawesi, has received an investment commitment worth 1.75 billion US dollars or the equivalent of Rp30 trillion for the development of a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) ecosystem. “This strategic partnership with Aslan Energy Capital is a tangible manifestation of our grand vision to position the Palu SEZ as the main hub for the clean energy ecosystem and downstreaming in eastern Indonesia,” said the Director of PT Bangun Palu Sulawesi Tengah (BPST), Sony Panukma Widianto, when contacted from Palu on Wednesday. This strategic step was formalised through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Jakarta between PT BPST, the regional government-owned enterprise developing the Palu SEZ, and Aslan Energy Capital (AEC), a Singapore-based global investment platform for clean energy and infrastructure. The collaboration involves the development of a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Gigafactory ecosystem and international-standard Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Hub facilities. In the initial development phase, this manufacturing facility is designed to have an annual production capacity of 8 GWh, with a roadmap for expansion to 12-15 GWh in subsequent phases. The presence of this Gigafactory is expected not only to support the downstreaming of the nickel-based battery industry in the country but also to secure the clean energy and electric vehicle supply chain, for both meeting domestic market needs and export demands to the ASEAN region, Australia, and the US. “This project is not merely an infrastructure investment but a transformative leap that will bring long-term impacts for energy independence and national industrial competitiveness,” he emphasised.