BIO FRIENDS Inc. Accelerates DME and Biofuel Business in Indonesia

One foreign investor is eyeing the local biological resources in West Java. These raw materials will be used to produce bio-methanol and bio-DME. It is BIO FRIENDS Inc., a multinational energy company planning to develop its clean fuel energy business in Indonesia. Won Jun Cho, CEO of BIO FRIENDS Inc., stated that the company will take its first official step into the clean fuel business in Indonesia. On 7 April, the company held its inaugural meeting with its existing Indonesian subsidiary and local partner, PT AEI (Arasy Energy Indonesia). They plan to build a Dimethyl Ether (DME) production plant with an annual capacity of 10,000 tonnes. At the same time, the company will launch a Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) for producing bio-methanol and bio-DME. They will utilise local biological resources in the West Java region. “This project has garnered significant attention following the recent Iran war, which has caused severe instability in the Middle East energy supply chain,” he said on Tuesday (7/4). As international oil prices surge due to escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, he continued, diversifying supply routes and securing alternative fuels for energy security has become an urgent priority for countries heavily dependent on the Middle East. “In this context, BIO FRIENDS Inc.’s business in Indonesia aims to proactively respond to the ‘Post-Middle East and Post-Fossil Fuel’ era by building a renewable fuel production system using local resources,” he explained. According to him, Indonesia, a country with high dependence on LPG imports, can significantly enhance its national energy self-sufficiency by utilising locally produced DME as an alternative fuel or blend for LPG. Furthermore, DME emerges as a practical clean fuel with high growth potential not only in the aerosol propellant market but also in the industrial and commercial fuel sectors. “Leveraging its extensive experience in domestic DME commercialisation, BIO FRIENDS Inc. plans to build a low-carbon fuel value chain in Indonesia, creating a synergistic model that integrates Korean technology with Indonesian resources,” he explained. Furthermore, Won Jun Cho stated that this Indonesia project is more than just building a factory. But it is a process of building stable renewable fuel supply infrastructure to address the vulnerabilities of a fossil fuel-centric system, as highlighted by the Iran war. “In the era of accelerating transition from Middle East oil and fossil fuels, bio-methanol and bio-DME will serve as practical means to maintain energy security, going beyond mere eco-friendly alternatives,” he concluded.