Brainstorming Alternatives to LPG: Bahlil Prepares New Breakthrough

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Bahlil Lahadalia stated that the government is discussing the development of compressed natural gas (CNG) as one alternative to reduce dependence on imports of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). After attending a limited meeting with President Prabowo Subianto at the Presidential Palace Complex in Jakarta on Monday (27/4/2026), Bahlil said the CNG option is still in the discussion and cross-sector consolidation stage before being finalised as a national energy policy. “The development of CNG is still under discussion and will be finalised. This is one alternative to strengthen energy independence in the LPG sector,” Bahlil said. He explained that CNG development is one effort to promote energy independence, particularly in reducing dependence on LPG, which is still largely imported. According to him, CNG comes from natural gas with main components of methane (C1) and ethane (C2), whose availability is relatively abundant domestically. The gas is then compressed using special equipment to a pressure of around 250–400 bar so that it can be used as fuel. In his view, the utilisation of CNG has great potential because domestic gas sources are more abundant compared to LPG raw materials that depend on propane and butane (C3–C4) with limited production in Indonesia. Nevertheless, he continued, the government is still conducting technical studies and consolidation to ensure that CNG implementation runs effectively and provides optimal benefits for national energy resilience. “It is still in the consolidation stage so that the results are more optimal,” he said.