- Indonesia took another step towards launching biodiesel containing 50 per cent palm-oil-based biofuel (B50) by concluding laboratory tests.
- Energy ministry data shows that adopting B50 would require 20.1 million kilolitres of palm-oil-based biofuel a year to mix with regular petroleum diesel, compared to 15.6 million KL with B40.
Indonesia took another step towards launching biodiesel containing 50 per cent palm-oil-based biofuel (B50) by concluding laboratory tests, an energy ministry official said on Tuesday. This is because the country aims to implement it next year.
Palm-oil based biodiesel is currently mandated at a 40 per cent blend (B40), but Indonesia wants to increase the level to reduce its reliance on imports of fossil fuels.
The laboratory testing involved running an engine using the B50 fuel and was concluded in August. Officials will now carry out road tests, the energy ministry’s bioenergy director, Edi Wibowo, noted.
“Based on the test results, we will move forward to launch road tests and testing on non-automotive machineries that run on diesel,” he said.
The timing of the road test was still to be decided, he said. Indonesia aims to make B50 mandatory in 2026, but it was unlikely to happen in January, a senior energy ministry official said in August.
Energy ministry data shows that adopting B50 would require 20.1 million kilolitres of palm-oil-based biofuel a year to mix with regular petroleum diesel, compared to 15.6 million KL with B40.