Speeding B50, Bahlil Claims Will Stop Solar Imports Next Year

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia. (Photo: Doc. Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources)

JAKARTA - Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Bahlil Lahadalia claims Indonesia will stop imports of diesel starting in the second semester of 2026. This is in line with the government's plan to implement 50 percent (B50) biodiesel use.

Just so you know, B50 is a diesel mixture of 50 percent, with biodiesel from palm oil at 50 percent.

"Yesterday we confirmed, at the direction of the President, it has been leveled, it has been decided that in 2026, God willing, we will push it to B50. Thus, we will no longer import diesel fuel into Indonesia," said Bahlil sat as a speaker at the Investor Daily Summit, Thursday, October 9.

The chairman of the Golkar Party said that the fuel mixing program with biodiesel had been carried out previously with the mixing of B10, B20 B30, B40.

According to him, B50, which is a mixture of diesel with CPO and methanol, can increase the selling value of palm oil farmers.

In addition, this program can also reduce Indonesia's dependence on diesel imports so that it can maintain the country's foreign exchange

Bahlil admitted that the implementation of this program was a bold decision because it would deal directly with high-profile importers who felt disturbed.

"Later, we will talk about it again. Indeed, if someone is disturbed, it will definitely be like that," he said.

He considered that a country has rules, visions and targets so that it cannot follow the wishes of certain parties who want to benefit. For this reason, he continued, national energy policies must be in favor of the interests of the people and the nation, not certain groups.

Untuk mendorong program B50, Bahlil menyebut Indonesia harus melakukan impor metanol karena membutuhkan setidaknya 2,3 juta ton untuk campuran.

Sementara itu, industri yang ada di Indonesia baru bisa menghasilkan 400.000 ton.

"Maka atas arahan Bapak Presiden, kami kemarin sudah memutuskan untuk membangun pabrik metanol di Bojonegoro sebagai bagian daripada hilirisasi," tandas dia.

To encourage the B50 program, Bahlil said that Indonesia must import methanol because it requires at least 2.3 million tons for mixture.

Meanwhile, industries in Indonesia can only produce 400,000 tons.

"So at the direction of the President, yesterday we decided to build a methanol factory in Bojonegoro as part of downstreaming," he said.