Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia's sovereign wealth fund Danantara, through PT Danantara Investment Management, on Monday signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with several regional governments to accelerate waste-to-energy (WtE) plant development in six locations.”Danantara has just signed MoUs with regional governments to accelerate WtE plant development in six locations: Lampung, Serang, Medan, Semarang, Bogor-Depok, and Bekasi,” Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan said in Jakarta on Monday.He said the signing reflected a joint commitment by the central government, regional administrations, and Danantara to accelerate solutions to urban waste problems.Zulkifli explained that the WtE projects are intended to address waste management problems, particularly in regions generating more than 1,000 tons of waste per day.He said the government plans to develop WtE plants in 25 locations covering 62 districts and cities experiencing waste emergencies.The minister emphasized that waste management is urgent because mounting waste piles have polluted the soil, water, and air while threatening public health.Zulkifli said some waste piles in several regions had reached the height of 14 to 15-story buildings, highlighting the urgency of the problem.”The waste must be converted into clean energy and electricity, without odor and without toxins,” he said.The government aims to complete the projects in stages over the next three years, he added. Half of the projects are targeted for completion in 2027, while the remainder are expected to be finished by May 2028.Meanwhile, Danantara Chief Investment Officer Pandu Sjahrir said accelerating the projects would require support from regional governments and the public as waste problems had become increasingly severe in many areas.”These waste management projects are expected to require fundraising of up to US$5 billion, so this is no small amount,” he said.He added that Danantara continued to monitor the progress of the projects together with the government to ensure completion targets are achieved.The government has issued Presidential Regulation No. 109 of 2025 as the basis for accelerating waste management through WtE development.Danantara initiated the tender process for the projects in November 2025 and announced winners for three locations — Greater Denpasar, Bekasi City, and Greater Bogor — in early March 2026.Cooperation agreement documents for the three projects were signed on April 21, before Jakarta's provincial government signed a separate MoU with Danantara on May 4.