Indonesia welcomes 1st phase of bateralitium cathode production

JAKARTA, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) — Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, inaugurated the first phase of cathode production, specifically lithium iron phosphate (LFP), a key material for lithium batteries alongside nickel, at the Kendal Industrial Park in Central Java, on Tuesday.
The plant is operated by PT LBM Energi Baru Indonesia, a consortium involving the Indonesia Investment Authority and the leading Chinese supplier, Changzhou Liyuan Co., Ltd.
“This investment aims to meet the global demand for LFP, driven by the growing electric vehicle market,” said Luhut.
The facility is the first cathode production plant outside China, with a planned joint investment of up to 200 million U.S. dollars.
By 2030, Indonesia is projected to cater to a 10-billion-dollar market for key materials used in lithium battery production, supporting the global transition to sustainable energy.
The plant has an initial production capacity of 30 kilotons, which is expected to increase to 120 kilotons per year. It will also create over 2,000 jobs, with 92 percent of positions filled by local workers. ■