World's largest RDF facility to launch in Jakarta, Indonesia. (Photo: Wijaya Karya)
To alleviate the pressure on waste landfills around Jakarta, the Indonesian government is constructing the world’s largest Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) plant.
Once completed in February, the plant is expected to process 2,500 tons of waste daily and produce up to 875 tons of alternative fuel, which will be supplied to the manufacturing industry and power generation, serving as an additional revenue source for the city.
Jakarta’s RDF plant aiming for global scale
With a population exceeding 10 million, Jakarta generates over 7,500 tons of waste daily, most of which is sent to the Bantar Gebang landfill in Bekasi. However, as the volume of urban waste continues to grow, authorities are concerned about its capacity. As a result, they have invested IDR 12 trillion (USD 74 million) to build a plant that will process a portion of the waste and produce alternative fuel.
Located in the Rorotan area of North Jakarta, construction of the new plant began in March 2024 and is now nearing completion. When operational, it will become the world’s largest RDF facility based on waste processing capacity, surpassing the current record of 1,500 tons per day held by Tel Aviv, Israel.
Agung Budi Waskito, CEO of state-owned construction company PT Wijaya Karya, announced on January 9 that the construction is 94% complete, with plans to begin operations in February.
Indonesia already has an RDF plant near the Bantar Gebang landfill, which began operations in 2023 and can process 2,000 tons of waste per day.
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Bantar Gebang landfill receives nearly 8,000 tonnes of waste from Jakarta every day. (Photo: Tom Fisk／Pexels)
Waste-to-Energy facilitates circular economy with global examples
RDF is a form of Waste-to-Energy (WtE), which involves sorting, shredding, and processing waste into small pellet-like particles, turning it into solid recovered fuel (SRF). This can be used as an alternative fuel in cement plants or coal-fired power plants. It can also be processed into liquid or gas forms.
In addition to Indonesia and Israel, other countries are also developing RDF plants. Singapore's first integrated sewage and waste treatment facility, Tuas Nexus, is expected to be completed in 2025, with a waste processing capacity exceeding 3,600 tons per day.
In Europe, Denmark's Amager Bakke waste-to-energy plant in Copenhagen can process 450,000 tons of waste annually, while the Tyseley Energy Park in Birmingham, UK, can handle 400,000 tons per year.
Source: Jakarta Post, Jakarta Globe, EERC
