TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia said he had received an order from President Prabowo Subianto to develop the ethanol and methanol industries. This is a step towards achieving energy self-sufficiency through renewable energy.

According to Bahlil, currently, 80 percent of the methanol used as a blend to develop biodiesel vegetable oil is imported. So, we will build it in Bojonegoro with an investment of about US$1.2 billion," he said when met at his house in South Jakarta, on Wednesday, November 27, 2024.

In addition, Bahlil plans to promote the construction of an ethanol plant using raw materials from sugar cane or cassava. He stressed the importance of this as biodiesel uses a blend of crude palm oil (CPO), ethanol, methanol, and some diesel.

"So if we import, we will no longer import the difference," Bahlil said.

Previously, the government claimed to be serious about achieving energy self-sufficiency, including through renewable energy. The Energy Ministry's Director General of New and Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation, Eniya Listiani Dewi, is preparing various essential requirements for B40 biodiesel, planned for January 2025. She stressed the need to prepare the infrastructure.

"Even for B40, which is only 2 months away, the infrastructure needs to be expanded and its capacity increased," she said at an event at the Indonesia Ombudsman office on Monday, November 18, 2024.

She explained that the prepared infrastructure includes the construction of a jetty, which will increase the port capacity and its rental costs. According to Eniya, if the rental costs increase, the storage area needs to be expanded before the cargo is loaded onto the ship.

In addition, Eniya believes that standardized ship infrastructure is crucial to ensure that ship specifications meet the requirements so that B40 can be properly transported and handled.

In addition to paying attention to infrastructure readiness, she also supports the increase of crude palm oil (CPO) to support the development program of B40 and B50 biodiesel, which is expected to be launched in 2025.

Eniya stated that B40 testing has been conducted on various transportation modes and expressed optimism that B40 can be mandated by January 2025. As for B50, in addition to ensuring sufficient CPO stocks, it is important to demonstrate the proper rejuvenation of oil palm plantations, she remarked.

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