Starting At The End Of July 2022, This Is The Readiness Of The Ministry Of Energy And Mineral Resources To Apply B35

Illustration (Photo: Antara Doc)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources plans to implement the use of biodiesel with a blend of 30 percent palm oil (B30) into a mixture of 35 percent palm oil (B35) by the end of July 2022.

Director of Bioenergy at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Edi Wibowo, said that his party was finalizing the specifications for the B35 and B40 trials.

"From all raw materials, it is sufficient. The biodiesel industry itself has reached 17.14 million kiloliters (KL). It is sufficient and hopefully it can work," said Edi at the Energy Corner, Monday, July 11.

In terms of regulation, Edi said, there were no significant changes because biodiesel would still use existing regulations.

However, his party is also working on regulations at the ministerial decree level which will regulate the percentage of biodiesel mix flexibly.

"Later at least with B30 and then B35, later it will reach B40 in time," added Edi.

Edi added that the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources has also collaborated with related parties to discuss specifications for the B35 and B40 trials in order to pursue the trial plan by the end of this month.

"Because at this time the specifications are still up to B30, later it is necessary to set regulations as well as determine the specs related to this B35," concluded Edi.

This program is one of the national priority programs to reduce dependence on fossil energy and achieve a clean energy transition, especially in the transportation sector.

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arifin Tasrif revealed that biodiesel as a reliable alternative to fossil fuels has become a strategic role because it has a positive influence in various aspects.

Biofuels produced from renewable sources provide added value through downstreaming the domestic agricultural industry, stabilize crude palm oil (CPO) prices, improve the welfare of small farmers, and maintain energy security.

"We believe that the need for palm oil-based biodiesel is very large, the market is large and will continue to grow," he said.

As is well known, Indonesia's National Energy Policy sets out the ambition to change the energy mix by prioritizing new and renewable energy resources.

The policy targets new and renewable energy sources to contribute about 23 percent of the total primary energy mix by 2025.

By 2021, the share of Renewable Energy has reached 11.7 percent of the total energy mix and biodiesel has contributed about 35 percent.