House Member Supports E20 Programme Development: A Strategy to Strengthen National Energy Security

Member of Commission XII of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), Beniyanto Tamoreka, supports the move by Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Bahlil Lahadalia to accelerate the development of the E20 Programme through collaboration between the government, universities, the business sector, and the community. According to him, the policy is a strategic step to strengthen national energy security while reducing Indonesia’s dependence on imported petrol through the utilisation of bioethanol based on domestic resources. Beniyanto appreciated the direction given by the ESDM Minister during the 2026 National Convention on Science, Technology, and Industry (KSTI) National Symposium, which emphasised the importance of building an integrated national bioethanol ecosystem. He assessed that the projected need for approximately 4 million kilolitres of bioethanol to support the implementation of the E20 Programme presents a significant opportunity for Indonesia to develop a competitive bioenergy industry while increasing the added value of national agricultural commodities. ‘We fully support the ESDM Minister’s steps in preparing the E20 Programme. This policy is not only about providing cleaner energy but is also a strategy to strengthen national energy security, reduce petrol imports, and encourage the growth of a bioethanol industry based on the potential of domestic resources,’ Beniyanto said in a written statement on Wednesday, 1 July 2026. According to Beniyanto, the increasing demand for bioethanol will have a positive impact on various agricultural commodities such as cassava, sugarcane, corn, sorghum, and other crops that can be developed as raw materials for bioethanol. Thus, the E20 Programme is not only an energy sector policy but can also become a driving force for the rural economy and improve farmer welfare. ‘We see this programme will have a very large multiplier effect. Demand for cassava, sugarcane, corn, sorghum, and other commodities will certainly increase. Moreover, the government is encouraging its development through a nucleus-plasma partnership model. This model will provide market certainty for farmers, strengthen regional processing industries, and create greater economic added value,’ he continued. Beniyanto added that regions with agricultural potential, including Central Sulawesi, South Sulawesi, Lampung, East Java, Central Java, Nusa Tenggara, and various other areas, have the opportunity to become new centres of economic growth if bioethanol development is carried out in an integrated manner from cultivation and processing to the marketing of its production output.