Stability and Legal Certainty: Essential Prerequisites for Renewable Energy Investment According to Pertamina NRE
Amid scrutiny from regional leaders and global investors, Pertamina New & Renewable Energy (Pertamina NRE) delivered a decisive message: the future of clean energy in ASEAN demands investment courage and regulatory cohesion. This commitment was directly affirmed by Pertamina NRE Chief Executive Officer John Anis during the “Future of Investments Within Our Borders” panel at the ASEAN Editors and Economic Opinion Leaders Forum 2026 in the Philippines.
The forum, organised by the ASEAN Committee on Business and Investment Promotion in conjunction with the Philippine Department of Industry and Trade, served as a strategic platform bringing together heads of state, policymakers, and industry leaders. Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and ASEAN Secretary General Kao Kim Hourn attended, underscoring the weight of discussions on the future of regional investment.
In his presentation, John Anis highlighted a fundamental foundation often overlooked in public discourse: stability. According to him, the new and renewable energy sector is not a short-term venture.
“Clean energy investment is long-term in nature, requiring significant capital expenditure and extended payback periods. Therefore, beyond financial feasibility, geopolitical stability, policy consistency, legal certainty, transparent governance, and policy consistency are crucial determining factors,” stated John Anis.
He viewed ASEAN as positioned at a golden moment. Solid economic growth and targets for increasing the renewable energy mix by 2050 constitute a combination difficult for investors to ignore. However, this opportunity would be considerably stronger if member states could align their regulations, thereby creating an integrated and competitive cross-border business ecosystem.
As part of the Pertamina Group, Pertamina NRE prioritises strict investment discipline. Each project is evaluated through a risk-adjusted return approach, accounting for country and sectoral risk premiums, and tested against various geopolitical and macroeconomic stress scenarios before a final decision is made.
Expansion steps outside Indonesia are not detached from national interests. Pertamina NRE ensures every investment delivers returns to Indonesia, whether through strengthened energy resilience, technology transfer, or creation of value-added benefits for domestic industry and economy.
This regional commitment has already materialised concretely in the Philippines. Pertamina NRE holds 20 per cent equity stake in Citicore Renewable Energy Corporation (CREC), opening collaborative space for large-scale solar project development whilst expanding clean energy partnership networks across the region.
Beyond investment matters, Pertamina NRE also monitors Philippine policy practices, particularly regarding the mandatory biofuel requirement implementation. This experience is regarded as relevant reference material for accelerating bioethanol ecosystem development in Indonesia, from regulatory formulation, business models, to investment incentive schemes.
Concluding the discussion session, John Anis underlined that the relationship between investors and host countries must not end at transaction figures. “Investment is not merely a transaction, but a long-term partnership. Common ambition, clear economic opportunities, and motivation to collaborate through technology transfer, strengthening local capacity, and good governance are required,” he emphasised.
Through this strategic approach, Pertamina NRE continues to strengthen its role as a motor of energy transformation and catalyst for green investment across ASEAN, whilst advancing the creation of a stable, transparent, and collaborative regional investment landscape.