How to Produce Petasol from Plastic Waste Without Buying at Petrol Stations
Jakarta - Plastic waste can be converted into a diesel fuel equivalent known as Petasol using multi-condenser pyrolysis technology developed by the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN).
Junior Researcher at BRIN’s Sustainable Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Research Centre, Heru Susanto, explained that low-value plastic waste such as sachet packaging, multi-layer plastics, thin bags, and dirty residues are not optimally managed due to their low economic value.
To address this, multi-condenser pyrolysis technology was developed. This process converts low-value, dirty, and wet plastic waste into Petasol.
The process involves oxygen-free heating that breaks down polymers into hydrocarbon compounds.
“Each kilogram of plastic waste yields an average of 0.8 litres of Petasol, up to 1 litre. The process takes around eight hours at 250-350°C without further distillation, but through purification,” Heru stated in a statement cited on Monday, 1 June 2026.
The produced Petasol has undergone characterisation and meets diesel fuel standards per Directorate General of Oil and Gas Regulation No. 146/2020. It has been used in diesel vehicles, fishing boats, and agricultural machinery for over four years, with safety confirmed.
Users of Petasol also experience better performance due to its higher calorific value compared to biosolar.
The technology has been replicated at over 60 locations across Indonesia, including Cimahi, Yogyakarta, and Semarang, supported by local Environmental Health Offices (DLH) and waste banks.
Production costs for Petasol are very low, ranging from Rp 5,000 to Rp 6,160 per litre, with plastic raw material priced at Rp 1,800 per kilogram.
However, using waste bank-sourced plastic at around Rp 200 per kilogram reduces production costs to Rp 4,000-5,000.
“As there are no domestic market regulations for trading, Petasol is priced at Rp 10,000 per litre. This price difference yields a profit of Rp 4,000-5,000 per litre. With a capacity of 100 kilograms per day, net profit is approximately Rp 8.6 million monthly, with break-even achieved in around 2.5 years,” he explained.