Sumitomo Corporation, reNIKOLA join to revolutionise bioenergy projects in Malaysia & Indonesia

Japan’s trading giant Sumitomo Corporation has signed an MoU with Malaysian renewable energy conglomerate reNIKOLA to jointly develop bioenergy projects—including biogas and biomethane—in Malaysia and Indonesia.

The agreement was signed at the Malaysia Pavilion during Expo 2025 in Osaka, Kansai, Japan, highlighting the growing international collaboration on clean energy initiatives.

According to reNIKOLA, the partnership marks a strategic move toward building a carbon-neutral society by establishing a sustainable energy cycle and accelerating decarbonisation. This initiative aligns with the company’s long-term vision to develop next-generation energy solutions across Asia.

reNIKOLA has been a key player in Malaysia’s renewable energy sector that currently focuses on solar and biogas power generation, with several assets already operational and more under development. reNIKOLA is now expanding into the biomethane sector, leveraging its experience in biogas technology.

As part of this growth, reNIKOLA has established Special Purpose Companies (SPCs) in Indonesia—the world’s largest palm oil producer—to support its entry into the biomethane market. The partnership will focus on converting palm oil production residues into bioenergy in both Malaysia and Indonesia. reNIKOLA Managing director Boumhidi Abdelali said “”To date, we have registered our company under Bioeconomy Corp’s Bio-based Accelerator Program, which aims to infuse science, technology, and strategic investments into our bioenergy business.”

As per the official statement, the new collaboration aims to boost the availability of sustainable, fossil fuel-independent energy in the region by transforming agricultural waste into clean energy. The two companies also intend to promote a broader energy transition and explore expansion into neighbouring Southeast Asian countries.

The partnership will combine the vast business network of Sumitomo across Asia with technical expertise of reNIKOLA in bioenergy. The firms look to scale innovative, green energy solutions across the region.