State-Backed Pertamina NRE Surges Into South Asia With Landmark Bangladesh Solar Expansion

JAKARTA, Investortrust.id — Indonesian state-backed green energy giant PT Pertamina New & Renewable Energy (Pertamina NRE) is aggressively pushing its operational borders into South Asia, locking in a strategic alliance to build out Bangladesh’s solar power infrastructure. The clean energy developer signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Copenhagen Urban Solar Parks BD Ltd (CUSP) to explore utility-scale solar photovoltaic (solar PV) investments and generation assets.

This expansion marks a major geopolitical and commercial pivot for Pertamina NRE, the green subholding of state oil corporation PT Pertamina (Persero), as it transitions from a domestic utility developer into a competitive transnational clean energy player. By capturing market share in Bangladesh—a country facing severe electricity supply crunches and racing to decarbonize—Pertamina NRE is de-risking its long-term portfolio away from purely Indonesian assets. For global investors, this signals that Southeast Asian state enterprises are becoming highly sophisticated, cross-border competitors capable of exporting green infrastructure across developing Asia.

A Utility-Scale Blueprint

The pact, executed at Grha Pertamina in Jakarta by Pertamina NRE CEO John Anis and CUSP Chairman Ziaur Rahman, sets a rapid timeline for development. Under the scope of the agreement, both entities will immediately launch technical, environmental, and financial feasibility studies to assess investment viability, commercial structures, and risk mitigation strategies for future solar farms.

CEO John Anis emphasized that entering South Asia demonstrates the company’s resilience against macroeconomic headwinds. “In the midst of a global situation full of uncertainty, this collaboration is an important momentum and a strategic step for the development of renewable energy businesses in Indonesia, while simultaneously supporting the need for sustainable clean energy in Bangladesh,” Anis stated on Wednesday.

Exporting Operational Expertise

Jakarta is leveraging its proven international track record to anchor this new South Asian venture. Pertamina NRE has already built a powerful regional footprint in the Philippines through its strategic 20% equity stake in Citicore Renewable Energy Corporation.

Anis revealed that the company already controls an installed installation capacity of over 1 GWp in the Philippines, with clear visibility on a pipeline targeting 2.6 GWp by the close of 2026. “This concrete achievement serves as vital capital for Pertamina NRE to develop similar projects in Bangladesh,” Anis added, pointing out that cross-border investments must always deliver tangible knowledge transfers and commercial value back to the Indonesian economy.

Driving Regional Infrastructure Snyergies

The deal has secured deep institutional backing from the Indonesian government, which is weaponizing economic diplomacy to support its state-owned enterprises. Roy Wahab, the Director of Investment and Creative Economy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, formally witnessed the signing ceremony and praised the cross-border corporate synergy.

"This partnership reflects the close bilateral relations between the two countries, particularly in driving green investment and sustainable energy development," Wahab stated on Wednesday. He noted that sharing institutional knowledge and technical execution strategies will heavily reinforce Indonesia’s weight within the global green energy ecosystem.

Perfecting the Offgrid Model At Home

While expanding its international footprint, Pertamina NRE is simultaneously sharpening its technical capabilities domestically by deploying cutting-edge microgrid systems to remote, underserved island populations. The company recently completed a highly successful pilot project on Sembur Island in the Kepulauan Riau province, constructing an offgrid 400 kWp solar PV array married to a high-capacity 1 MWh battery energy storage system.

The remote infrastructure project has completely revolutionized the island’s local economy, providing continuous, stable electricity to an isolated fishing community that had spent decades living without a power grid. Showing an advanced understanding of local supply chains, the company also installed compact 150-watt solar systems directly onto 20 local fishing vessels to secure night-time maritime operations, proving that its modular green technology can be customized for both large-scale international grids and localized, remote economies.

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