Solar Imports Start to be Stopped, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Ensures Private Gas Stations Buy from Pertamina

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) has ensured that private operators of public fuel filling stations (SPBU) no longer import solar. After it was implemented, private businesses began to absorb solar from PT Pertamina (Persero).

Director General of Oil and Gas (Dirjen Migas) of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Laode Sulaeman said that this policy has been implemented since it was announced by the government at the beginning of this year.

"Actually, since it was announced, there have been meetings and if you ask the private sector, there must be, just try asking," Laode told the media, Wednesday, May 6.

He continued, the rectification of imported solar was carried out on solar with a setana or cetane number (CN) 48.

Meanwhile, the import of high-quality solar with a Cetane value of 51 (CN51) will be stopped in the second semester of this year.

As previously reported, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia said the cessation of solar imports was in line with the operation of the Balikpapan Refinery Master Development Plan (RDMP) project.

Bahlil emphasized that the increase in the capacity of the Balikpapan refinery opened up opportunities for Indonesia to stop importing fuel because national needs could be met from domestic production.

"This is done in order to encourage energy sovereignty by no longer relying on meeting domestic fuel needs through imports," said Bahlil, January 12.

He explained the balance between the national solar needs and supply. Indonesia's solar needs are recorded at 39.8 million kiloliters per year.

Of this amount, the B40 program contributes to the supply of Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAME) of 15.9 million kiloliters (kl) per year, leaving a pure solar (B0) requirement of 23.9 million kl per year.

With national production currently reaching 26.5 million kl per year, the government targets the cessation of solar imports starting mid-2026 for CN 48 and CN 51 products, starting mid-2026.