House Member Supports E20 Programme Development: A Strategy to Strengthen National Energy Security
Members of Commission XII of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), Beniyanto Tamoreka, have voiced support for the steps taken by the 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 Tamoreka, this policy is a strategic move to strengthen national energy security while simultaneously reducing Indonesia’s dependence on petrol imports through the utilisation of bioethanol based on domestic resources.
Beniyanto expressed his appreciation for the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources’ directives during the National Seminar of the 202cap Science, Technology, and Industry Convention (KSTI) 2026, which emphasised the importance of building an integrated national bioethanol ecosystem.
He noted that the projected bioethanol requirement of approximately 4 million kilolitres to support the implementation of the E20 Programme presents a significant opportunity for Indonesia to develop a competitive bioenergy industry and increase the added value of national agricultural commodities.
“We fully support the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources’ 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 domestic resource potential,” Beniyanto stated 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, maize, sorghum, and other plants that can be developed as bioethanol raw materials.
Consequently, the E20 Programme serves not only as an energy sector policy but also as a driver for rural economic growth and an enhancer of farmer welfare.
“We see that this programme will provide a very large multiplier effect. Demand for cassava, sugarcane, maize, sorghum, and other commodities will certainly increase. Furthermore, the government is encouraging development through core-plasma partnership models. Such models 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 economic growth centres if bioethanol development is carried out in an integrated manner, ranging from cultivation and processing to the marketing of the final products.