China’s CATL has signed a framework agreement with Vanda RE to supply up to 2.2 GWh of battery energy storage systems (BESS) for a major solar export project connecting Indonesia to Singapore. The BESS units, part of CATL’s EnerX range, will account for half of the planned 4.4GWh capacity at the Vanda Solar & Battery Project, which will also include 2GWp of solar PV generation. The project, situated in Indonesia’s Riau Islands, is part of a bilateral green economic corridor initiative and has received conditional approval to export 300 MW of non-intermittent electricity to Singapore.
Vanda RE—a joint venture (JV) between Singapore-based Gurīn Energy and Petronas-owned Gentari International Renewables—has already signed solar module supply deals with Chinese manufacturers LONGi (1 GW) and Trinasolar (1.4 GW). All three suppliers—CATL, LONGi, and Trinasolar—are building production facilities in Indonesia to meet the country’s local content (TKDN) requirements. CATL’s new factory in West Java is part of a USD6 billion integrated battery production and recycling venture with Indonesia Battery Corporation.
The Vanda project marks a key step in regional energy interconnectivity, which analysts say could unlock 25 GW of renewables across Southeast Asia. Projects like this are designed to leverage Singapore’s capital and grid demand with Indonesia’s land and solar potential. Meanwhile, Indonesia plans to install 42.6 GW of renewables and 10.3 GW of storage by 2034, positioning itself as a regional clean energy hub.
