Jakarta. Chinese companies once again are making up the lion’s share of Indonesia’s latest candidate list for its waste-to-energy agenda. 

Indonesia’s ambition to set up waste-to-energy incinerators in trash-infested cities are now in full swing. The sovereign wealth fund Danantara is taking the lead on this program. The project is also wide open for foreign partners. Two Chinese firms had already won the tenders for the projects in Bekasi, Bogor Raya, and Denpasar Raya. Work is now underway to expand the rollout to other parts of the country. 

As the second wave of tender begins, Danantara has drawn up a list of 85 prequalified companies that will take part in the subsequent selection stages. The list has grown by almost fourfold compared to the first wave, but the Chinese dominance remains.

Some of these Chinese firms -- like Sichuan Energy Investment Group and Grandtop Yongxing Group --  are fighting solo. Others, such as Beijing GeoEnviron Engineering and Tech, have joined forces with local firms. The company set up a consortium with PLN Indonesia Power Renewables, a subsidiary of the state-run energy giant. There is also another Beijing GeoEnviron Engineering and Tech consortium with local player Bumi Karsa. Over half of the entities are consortia, many of whom are China-backed.

First batch winners Huzhou-based Wangneng Environment and Zhejiang Weiming Environment Protection are also returning. The notable non-Chinese foreign players include the South Korean giant Samsung E&A and French utility Veolia. 

“We remain committed to ensuring the entire waste-to-energy partner selection process is conducted in a transparent and competitive manner,” Fadli Rahman, who leads Danantara’s clean energy arm Denera, said. 

China has always been among Indonesia’s top foreign investors. In Q1 2026, the combined investments from mainland China and Hong Kong totaled $4.9 billion, official statistics showed. Danantara’s managing director Rohan Hafas had defended Chinese dominance in the first wave of tender, citing similarities in waste management culture.

“Why not? … China is similar to Indonesia. Our people mix the different kinds of trash into one. … [Chinese technologies] are a good option for the unsorted garbage that we have in our country,” Rohan told a press briefing last month.

The full list of the 85 candidates is available here.