Pertamina and Toyota to Build Bioethanol Plant in Lampung This Year

Toyota’s representative stated that bioethanol will utilise feedstocks such as sugarcane, cassava, sorghum, and aren palm. According to him, these feedstocks are abundant in Lampung, which is why the bioethanol plant will be built in that region. “Why Lampung? Because Lampung is one of the provinces that is very strong in feedstock supply for this ethanol. As we all know, there is large-scale sugarcane planting in Lampung, as well as cassava and other feedstocks,” explained Todotua at the Ministry of Investment and Downstreaming/BKPM in South Jakarta on Monday (20/4/2026). Built in Quarter III The project under this joint venture scheme will be constructed in the third quarter of 2026, targeting production in 2028 with an initial capacity of 60,000 kilolitres (KL) per year. In this project, Toyota will assist in technology development. “So, construction will start this year, targeting Q3 at the latest Q4 this year. If it runs smoothly, it should be producing by 2028 at the latest,” said Todotua. This project will employ second-generation technology from the Research Association of Biomass Innovation for Next Generation Automobile Fuels (RABIT). This technology can produce ethanol from sugarcane waste to cassava waste. “That means the waste, sugarcane waste, waste from the sugarcane itself, waste from cassava, and those wastes can be consolidated to produce ethanol itself. Waste in our country becomes a problem from food commodity crops; this can be extracted and utilised,” stated Todotua. Meanwhile, CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation’s Asia Region, Masahiko Maeda, explained that his company supports bioethanol development. Especially since Toyota currently produces various types of vehicles, both passenger and commercial. Todotua added that Toyota-produced vehicles are already capable of consuming various types of fuels, including ethanol. “Toyota’s technology can actually consume 100% ethanol,” Todotua concluded.