Jakarta. Sovereign wealth fund Danantara has picked Zhejiang Weiming Environment Protection as the operating partner for the Bogor Raya waste-to-energy project, further cementing Chinese dominance in the multibillion-dollar plan.

Indonesia aims to build waste-to-energy facilities across 33 cities to tackle Indonesia's growing trash mountains. This ambitious plan — which requires Rp 84 trillion or around $5 billion in investments — is starting out with several heavily polluted cities. Danantara has drawn a shortlist of 24 foreign investors to take part in a tender for the first batch. The agency has announced the results for the three cities, with all winners being Chinese firms.

Just last week, the fund appointed Weiming to operate the Denpasar plant. And now Weiming has so far won two projects with the addition of the Bogor Raya facility.

“The selected partners are expected to uphold consistent operational performance, ensure compliance with all applicable requirements, and support sustained engagement with surrounding communities,” Danantara Chief Investment Officer Pandu Sjahrir said Friday.

Danantara has requested Weiming to set up a consortium with local firms, as Indonesia doesn’t want to miss out on the technology transfer. Neither Danantara nor Weiming has revealed the local partner. The consortium is expected to improve coordination with the sub-national governments.

A 2024 Weiming report shows the company’s portfolio encompasses 55 waste-to-energy projects, including three in trial operation. Their daily operational scale reaches around 37,000 tons.

Another Chinese firm called Wangneng Environment has also clinched the deal to operate the Bekasi plant.

Economic cooperation has essentially built Indonesia-China ties. Investments from Hong Kong totaled $10.6 billion. Indonesia reported mainland Chinese investors had put around $7.5 billion in Indonesia over the same period, government data showed. Nearly all the participants in the first phase tender are also from China. 

Danantara estimates that the entire waste-to-energy rollout can generate a tenfold multiplier effect on the economy, while creating 3,500 direct and indirect jobs. The first batch of construction is slated for this third quarter. The rollout is set to reach completion in Q4 2027. 

President Prabowo Subianto had previously ordered a swift start to the project, citing that the waste problem — if left unaddressed — could deal a fatal blow to Indonesia’s tourism sector. He has also sounded the alarm about Bali, the foreign tourist magnet that is now drowning in garbage. 

“[The waste-to-energy plan] deals with hygiene and health, which will eventually translate into flourishing tourism. If Bali doesn’t take care of its waste problem, wouldn’t tourists be hesitant to visit a dirty, filthy place?” Prabowo told a cabinet meeting back in October 2025.

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