Jakarta, Dec 18 (IANS): Indonesia has already produced biodiesel fuel B40 containing 40 per cent palm oil and 60 per cent diesel, higher than the current 35 per cent composition, which will begin to be used in the country next year, according to officials.
The government has set a production target of 15.62 million kilolitres of the B40 biodiesel by 2025, said Deputy Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Yuliot Tanjung. "Based on the target, we hope to distribute it to consumers starting January 1, 2025," he said.
After implementing the B40 biodiesel, Tanjung said the government would gradually develop biodiesel with 50 per cent palm oil content, Xinhua news agency reported.
Meanwhile, Eniya Listiani Dewi, Director General of new renewable energy and energy conservation at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, confirmed that B40 biodiesel has already been produced and passed road tests for both automotive and non-automotive applications.
"I confirm that the factory has already produced B40 biodiesel, which will be delivered on January 1," she said.
The initiative to increase palm oil use for clean energy is strongly supported by Indonesia's massive palm oil production, as the country is the world's largest palm oil producer.
In September, Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto had said that the country was ready to implement the 40 per cent biodiesel plan from January 1, 2025 to speed up energy transition.
The plan is about a fuel composed of 40 per cent biodiesel (B40) and the remainder diesel, aimed at facilitating energy transition to renewable sources.
"We are ready for B40, and we are already using B35," said Airlangga at the Green Initiative Conference 2024 in Jakarta.
From 2014 to 2023, Indonesia utilized 54.52 million kilolitres of B35, saving the state foreign exchange by up to 404.3 trillion rupiah (about 26.6 billion US dollars) and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 358 million tonnes.
Trials for B40 were held in various sectors, including automotive, agricultural equipment, mining equipment, railways, power plants, and marine transport.