Bitera boosts Indonesia's digital economy with new data centre

In a significant step towards realising Indonesia's digital future, Bitera, a world-class data centre, officially opened its doors on February 27, 2024. The grand inauguration ceremony was attended by high-ranking Indonesian officials, including the Minister of Investment/Head of the Investment Coordinating Board, Bahlil Lahadalia, and Erick Thohir, the Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN). This indicates a robust synergy between Indonesia's government and the private sector, looking to drive the growth of the country's digital economy on a formidable foundation.

Bitera's CEO, Tedy Harjanto, highlighted Indonesia's digital architecture's relative immaturity, stating that "the penetration of data centres in Indonesia is currently still below 1 watt per capita". In contrast, Singapore boasts a consumption rate of 100 watts per capita, and Japan averages 10 watts. Harjanto's remarks illustrate that Indonesia has significant room for growth in its data centre infrastructure.

Confirming this potential, data from the Association of Indonesian Internet Service Providers (APJII) shows Indonesia is one of the lowest in Asia Pacific Region (APAC), with only 0.3 watts per capita of Data Centres penetration. A comparison with other ASEAN countries demonstrates that Indonesia's data centre capacity is around just 12.7 percent.

Recognising this potential, MMS Group Indonesia sees the data centre subsector as a significant growth area. Sendy Greti, CEO of MMS Group Indonesia, expresses confidence in Bitera's role, stating "Bitera will meet these needs and play a crucial role in supporting Indonesian digital economy development". Bitera's presence aligns perfectly with the government's aspiration to propel the nation's digital economy growth through a collaboration with the private sector.

However, the development of data centres in Indonesia is currently lagging behind the target set for 2030, a worrying trend considering their crucial role in supporting Indonesia's digital economy growth. The Minister of Investment, Bahlil Lahadalia, stressed the necessity of digital infrastructure in the digital transformation of the Indonesian and global economy. He articulated that "Bitera's presence as a local pride data centre represents a significant historical milestone on our nation's digitalisation journey".

As a Tier-III+ facility and a proud ambassador of the local digital infrastructure, Bitera provides critical IT load capacity of 20 MW with up to 4,000 racks. Situated in downtown Jakarta, it offers a strategic location close to internet exchange points. This optimally positions businesses to access the digital ecosystem via low latency interconnections and to benefit from the safest data centre in the city.

Alongside this, Bitera has achieved carbon neutrality through the implementation of energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly technologies, with a commitment to sustain these measures in the future. According to Bahlil Lahadalia, "Bitera's establishment is expected to strengthen the national digital infrastructure, preparing Indonesia to compete on the international stage, and empower MSMEs and startups through sophisticated technology".

As an affiliate of MMS Group Indonesia, Bitera extends a shared commitment to develop a sustainable Indonesia. MMS Group Indonesia's achievement in winning various prestigious awards related to sustainable energy transition underscores their dedication to sustainable development in the country.