Minister Of Environment Says Ethanol Mixing Can Reduce Fuel Sulfur Content
JAKARTA - Minister of Environment (LH) Hanif Faisol Nurofiq said the government's mandatory to mix gasoline with ethanol by 10 percent could reduce high sulfur content in fuel oil (BBM).
"If converted partly with natural (fuel), it will certainly reduce sulfur," said Minister of Environment and Forestry Hanif Faisal Nurofiq during a working visit to TPST Sandubaya, Mataram City, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), Saturday.
Minister Hanif acknowledged that the very high sulfur content in fuel in Indonesia affects the level of pollution in the transportation sector.
The majority of fuel products in Indonesia contain 1,500 ppm sulfur (parts per million). Meanwhile, the Euro V standard only allows the sulfur content limit of 50 ppm.
Furthermore, Minister LH was reluctant to mention further regarding the policy of mixing 10 percent of ethanol so as not to cause polemics with other ministries.
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"I didn't respond first, I was afraid there would be a polemic, but the point is that our fuel sulfur is still high," said Hanif Faisol Nurofiq.
Based on previous reports, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Bahlil Lahadalia admitted that President Prabowo Subianto approved a mandatory 10 percent ethanol mixture for fuel.
The government claims the policy is in order to reduce carbon emissions and reduce dependence on fuel imports. Currently, Indonesia only implements a five percent ethanol mixture for Pertamax Green 95 fuel which is a non-assuming fuel for the government or non-PSO.
Etanol is a renewable fuel sourced from natural materials, such as corn, sugar cane, cassava, and agricultural waste.
The ethanol fuel development project is one of the derivatives of the main food estate development project which is the government's focus, namely sugarcane plantations covering an area of 500,000 hectares. The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources targets Merauke to start producing ethanol fuel in 2027, as a realization of one of the main food estate development projects.