On July 17, 2025, Ningde Times New Energy Technology Co., Ltd., a leading global power battery manufacturer, signed a framework supply agreement with Singaporean renewable energy developer Vanda RE to provide up to 2.2GWh of battery energy storage systems (BESS) for renewable energy export projects from Indonesia's Riau Islands to Singapore. This cooperation marks an important step towards regional energy interconnection in Southeast Asia.

According to the agreement, the EnerX BESS unit of CATL will account for 50% of the total energy storage capacity of 4.4GWh planned for the Vanda solar storage project. The project also includes 2GWp of solar photovoltaic power generation capacity, aimed at delivering clean electricity from the Riau Islands in Indonesia to Singapore through submarine cables. This arrangement stems from the Green Economy Corridor Cooperation Agreement signed by the two governments in 2024 and has obtained conditional approval from the Singapore Energy Market Authority to export 300MWh of electricity to Singapore annually.

Vanda RE is a joint venture between Gur ī n Energy of Singapore and Gentari International Renewables, a subsidiary of Petronas Malaysia. To ensure the smooth implementation of the project, the company has reached cooperation agreements with several leading new energy enterprises in China: in addition to CATL, it has also signed a 1GW high-performance photovoltaic module supply agreement with Longi Green Energy Technology Co., Ltd. and a 1.4GW n-type i-TOPCon photovoltaic module supply agreement with Trina Solar Co., Ltd.

It is worth noting that all three Chinese manufacturers have production bases in Indonesia. The factory of CATL located in Galahuang County, West Java Province, Indonesia started construction last month, with an initial planned annual production capacity of 6.9 GWh, which can be expanded to 15 GWh in the future. The factory is an important component of CATL's $6 billion comprehensive battery industry investment in Indonesia, jointly built by CATL's subsidiary Guangdong Bangpu Recycling Technology Co., Ltd. and Indonesian Battery Company (IBC).

The latest research of Rystad Energy, an energy consulting company, shows that the regional grid interconnection network in Southeast Asia with Singapore as the core is expected to promote the deployment of 25GW renewable energy and energy storage projects. At present, Singapore has established power interconnection with Thailand and Laos, and plans to further connect solar energy in Indonesia, wind energy in Vietnam, hydropower and photovoltaics in Cambodia, and hydropower resources in Malaysia.

The recently approved power development plan by the Indonesian government requires state-owned power company PLN to add 69.5GW of installed power generation capacity by 2034, with renewable energy accounting for 42.6GW and supporting 10.3GW of energy storage facilities. Vanda RE stated that such cross-border solar storage projects can not only attract foreign investment in Indonesia's renewable energy sector, but also reduce local clean energy development costs and promote the improvement of local manufacturing capabilities.

This cooperation highlights the crucial role of Chinese new energy enterprises in the global energy transition. By integrating the technological advantages of Chinese manufacturing and the resource endowments of Southeast Asia, this project will provide a demonstration for regional green energy development and help countries achieve their carbon neutrality goals. (This article is from the official website of Jian Dao www.seetao.com. Reproduction without permission is prohibited, otherwise it will be prosecuted. Please indicate Jian Dao website+original link when reprinting.) Jian Dao website new energy column editor/Yang Beihua