Indonesia Stops Importing Solar, Prabowo Claims B50 Saves Foreign Exchange of Rp170 Trillion a Year

President Prabowo Subianto (Photo: Presidential Media Team)

JAKARTA - President Prabowo Subianto said Indonesia no longer imports diesel since July 1, 2026 after being able to produce B50 biodiesel from palm oil.

Prabowo claimed that the policy could save the country's foreign exchange up to Rp170 trillion or around 9.5 billion US dollars every year.

Prabowo made the statement at the Annual MPR Session and Joint Session of the DPR and DPD at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Friday, August 14.

"Starting July 1, 2026, we will no longer import solar," said Prabowo.

According to Prabowo, the cessation of imports is possible after Indonesia has succeeded in producing B50 biodiesel.

B50 is a fuel with a mixture of 50 percent biodiesel based on palm oil and 50 percent solar.

Prabowo places this policy as part of efforts to achieve energy independence while reducing the need for foreign exchange to buy fuel from abroad.

"We have succeeded in producing B50 biodiesel from palm oil. This saves the country's foreign exchange by Rp170 trillion or about 9.5 billion US dollars per year," he said.

In his speech, Prabowo said the government for 21 months or 663 days has carried out 121 policies which he called transformative.

He emphasized that the government chose to make a decision that was considered difficult now rather than leaving the burden to the next generation.

"I did not receive a mandate to explain why the problem could not be resolved, but I received a mandate to solve the problem," said Prabowo.