Knowing What Etanol Is In Fuel And Its Benefits For The Environment

YOGYAKARTA - What is ethanol in fuel? This question has recently been heard, especially after several private gas stations such as BP and Vivo had rejected Pertamina's base fuel due to the high ethanol. Most recently, the government plans to require ethanol of up to 10 percent in fuel oil.

Currently, Indonesia has only implemented a mixture of ethanol of 5 percent or known as Pertamax Green 95 (E5). The government hopes that the increase in ethanol levels can reduce dependence on fossil fuels whose reserves are running low. The following will explain what ethanol is and its benefits.

Etanol is an alcohol-based chemical compound (C2H5OH) produced through the candy process of plant-based materials such as sugar cane, corn, cassava, or molasses. Since it comes from a plant-based source, ethanol is included in the latest fuel group or bioethenol.

The implementation of ethanol in fuel is not only to save fossil fuels, but also to support clean and sustainable energy. In various developed countries such as the United States, ethanol mixtures have long been applied with a 10 percent (E10) level.

Etanol itself has two carbon chains and is flammable. In fuel, ethanol is used as a mixture of gasoline to produce more environmentally friendly fuels. This mixture is known as gasohol, such as E5, E10, or E20, which shows the percentage of ethanol in the fuel.

For example, E5 fuel means it contains 5 percent ethanol and 95 percent pure gasoline, while E10 has 10 percent ethanol. This mixture is proven to increase the number of octane, so that vehicle engines work more efficiently and exhaust emissions are reduced.

It was found that ethanol can suppress greenhouse gas emissions by up to 43 percent, including harmful particles such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen oxide (NO). In addition, ethanol burning is cleaner than pure gasoline because it produces less carbon residue.

The Indonesian government through the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources is now accelerating the national bioethenol program. One of them is the development of Pertamax Green 95 with 5 percent ethanol levels which will be increased to E10. The goal is to strengthen national energy security while reducing fossil fuel imports.

In addition to the positive environmental impact, ethanol production also creates new economic opportunities in the agricultural sector and the bioenergy industry. Raw materials such as sugar cane, cassava, and corn can be processed into ethanol, thereby increasing the economic value of local commodities.

Even so, the implementation of ethanol in fuel faces a number of challenges, such as production costs and vehicle engine readiness. However, the government emphasized that the development of E10 will follow a model of the success of biodiesel developed in stages and has now reached B40. With this strategy, it is hoped that Indonesia can lead to a better energy future.