Jakarta, Indonesia: President Prabowo Subianto has approved a plan requiring all fuel stations in Indonesia to sell petrol containing 10 percent ethanol. The move is part of the government’s efforts to cut fuel imports and reduce carbon emissions, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia said on Tuesday, reports Antara News Agency.
“We met with the President last night, and he has agreed to our proposal for a mandatory 10 percent ethanol fuel policy,” Lahadalia told reporters in Jakarta. He said the policy, known as E10, would not only lower Indonesia’s reliance on imported fuel but also encourage the use of cleaner and more eco-friendly energy.
State-owned oil and gas company PT Pertamina has welcomed the decision, saying it aligns with national efforts to boost energy security. “The minister is working to strengthen the biofuel ecosystem. We began with B40 biodiesel, and next year we plan to roll out the E10 program,” Pertamina President Director Simon Aloysius Mantiri said.
The B40 biodiesel, introduced in January, blends 40 percent palm-based oil with conventional diesel. Pertamina has also started introducing ethanol in its petrol through Pertamax Green 95, which contains five percent ethanol.
The announcement of the E10 plan comes after reports that some private fuel station operators hesitated to buy Pertamina’s imported base fuel, which contains 3.5 percent ethanol, to ease recent shortages.
According to the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, vehicles in Indonesia can run on fuels with up to 20 percent ethanol content. However, Director General of New and Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Eniya Listiani Dewi said ethanol levels remain limited to five percent while the government assesses the availability of raw materials such as corn and sugarcane.
