President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo inaugurated lithium battery parts factory belonging to PT Indonesia BTR New Energy Mineral located in Kendal Special Economic Zone, Kendal Regency, Central Java, on Wednesday August 7, 2024.
“I appreciate the construction of this factory so our big plan to establish integrated and strong electric vehicles ecosystem one by one will be realized,” the president said.
He said further that despite earlier challenges, such as nickel export ban that has provoked pro and contra and lawsuit from the European Union, the decision has produced significant results.
“Our nickel export has reached US$34 billion. From previously Rp 33 trillion (US$2 billion), the nickel export jumped to Rp 510 trillion (US$32 billion). It is a huge hike despite the fact that in the early days many people diasgreed,” the president said.
Jokowi highlighted the development of smelters in several areas in Indonesia, such as nickel smelters and its derivative in Morowali and Weda Bay, Freeport and Amman smelters in Sumbawa and Gresik, as well as bauxite smelters in Mempawah regency, West Kalimantan.
“So, if all smelters start to operate, the ecosystem will develop and we will enter the global supply chain that will give huge added value both for recruitment of workers and our economic growth,” he said.
On the same occasion, Jokowi praised the speedy construction of the factory that only took 10 months since the MoU signing in Beijing. The factory is expected to produce 80,000 tons of anode per year on the next level.
“Adding 80,000 tons of anode production in the industry would mean the production of 3 million electric cars per year. It is a huge quantity that we will be the biggest
supplier of EV battery and electric vehicle,” he said.
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The president renewed the government’s commitment to develop strong and integrated electric vehicles ecosystem and use local resources, such as nickel,
cobalt, and manganese, that Indonesia hopefully will eventually strengthen its position in global lithium battery and electric vehicles.
Attending the inauguration were Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Cooordinating Ministry for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto, Minister of Investment/Head of Investment Coordinating Board Bahlil Lahadalia, Manpower Minister ida Fauziyah, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Arifin Tasrif, Central Java Governor Nana Sudjana, Kendal Regent Dico Ganundito and Chairman of BTR New Material Group He Xuequin.
