Indonesia Advances Waste-to-Energy Plan, Prepares Rules to Market\nPlastic-Based Fuel<\/p>\n
Jakarta. The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry is preparing\nregulations to allow renewable fuel (BBMT) derived from plastic waste to\nbe commercially marketed, as part of its broader waste-to-energy\npush.<\/p>\n
The fuel is produced through a pyrolysis process that converts\nplastic waste into diesel-equivalent fuel. A pilot project at the Benowo\nLandfill is currently capable of producing around 60\u201370 kiloliters of\nBBMT per day.<\/p>\n
The plastic is processed using pyrolysis machines with a flue gas\ntreatment system to ensure emissions comply with environmental standards\nset by the government.<\/p>\n
Director of New Energy at the ministry, Senda Hurmuzan Kanam, said\nBBMT will be marketed gradually through business-to-business schemes,\nwith quality assurance in place. In parallel, the government is\npreparing a registration platform in collaboration with the Investment\nand Downstreaming Ministry\/Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM).<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are currently testing the BBMT product, and several partners have\nshown results approaching CN48 and CN52 in line with the oil and gas\ndirectorate general\u2019s regulations,\u201d Senda said in Jakarta on\nThursday.<\/p>\n
He explained that laboratory tests show varying sulfur content\ndepending on the type of plastic used in the pyrolysis process. However,\nhe stressed that sulfur levels must comply with existing standards.\nDiesel with a cetane number (CN) of 48 allows a maximum sulfur content\nof 2,500 ppm, while CN52 requires sulfur levels below 300 ppm.<\/p>\n
Senda did not disclose the economic price of BBMT, noting that\ncommercial viability is determined by business players. The government\u2019s\nrole, he said, is to ensure the fuel meets regulatory standards and is\nsafe for vehicle engines.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe economic value depends on the producers. To be sold to the\npublic, it must be guaranteed and supervised so consumers are\nprotected,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Separately, Executive Director of the Committee for Leaded Gasoline\nPhase-Out, Ahmad Safrudin, said the characteristics of BBMT from plastic\npyrolysis are similar to conventional diesel, as both originate from\npetroleum-based feedstock. However, he noted that no country has widely\ncommercialized such fuel due to economic constraints.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause the production cost is too high, it is not economical. If\nany country uses it, it is still limited to pilot projects,\u201d he\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Ali Ahmudi, Executive Director of the Center for Energy Security\nStudies for Sustainable Development at the University of Indonesia\nechoed the same view. He said plastic pyrolysis technology is no longer\ntheoretical and has been tested in several countries, though still on a\nlimited scale.<\/p>\n
In Mexico, startup Petgas has successfully converted plastic waste\ninto fuel for local use. In the United States and Europe, energy\ncompanies use pyrolysis outputs as industrial fuel or feedstock for\nfurther chemical processing. In the United Kingdom, similar technology\nis being developed to produce hydrocarbons that can be reused as fuel or\nraw material for new plastics.<\/p>\n
Ali highlighted key challenges, including fuel quality that still\nrequires further refining, relatively high production costs, and\nenvironmental concerns due to carbon emissions. As a result, the\ntechnology is currently seen more as a waste management and energy\nrecovery solution rather than a large-scale replacement for fossil\nfuels.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a conclusion, fuel from plastic pyrolysis has been used in\nseveral countries, but it remains in the development stage and has not\nbecome a large-scale energy solution,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Deputy Energy Minister Yuliot said the government has issued\nPresidential Regulation No.\u00a0109\/2025 to accelerate urban waste\nmanagement through environmentally friendly waste-to-energy\ntechnologies.<\/p>\n
\u201cUrban waste management is a priority activity under the direct\nsupervision of President Prabowo. Therefore, serious and systematic\nefforts are needed so that urban waste is no longer a source of\nproblems, but instead provides benefits,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
At the Benowo landfill, a waste-to-fuel facility is currently being\ndeveloped by Prakarsa Energi Sejahtera. Once operational, the plant is\nexpected to process municipal waste into BBMT, with output capacity\naligned with the city\u2019s waste volume. Based on the existing pilot\nproject, production is estimated at 60\u201370 kiloliters per day.<\/p>\n
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