Prabowo Plans to Build 30 to 50 Ethanol Plants for Fuel Blending

President Prabowo Subianto plans to increase the number of ethanol plants in Indonesia, building a minimum of 30 to 50 new facilities as part of an effort to develop fuel blended with ethanol. While giving directives during a joint harvest event with the Indonesian National Armed Forces in Malang, East Java, monitored online from Jakarta on Friday, President Prabowo stated that Indonesia is now capable of blending petrol with ethanol up to a level of 20 per cent, or E20. “The officials said we can reach E20. It requires factories, and currently we only have one plant. I have decided we will build at least 30 factories, or up to 50 if necessary,” said President Prabowo. The President also noted that Indonesia continues to pursue various efforts to achieve energy self-sufficiency. This can be seen from the inauguration of the Abadi Masela LNG Project on Thursday (16/7) after 28 years of stagnation, and Indonesia becoming the first country in the world to produce B50, a biofuel blend of palm oil and diesel. “We are now producing diesel from palm oil. So, starting this July, we will no longer import diesel from abroad,” the President explained. One of the points highlighted by the President was the existence of a national electric motorcycle, which will be launched in the coming weeks. He expressed hope that the national electric motorcycle will provide benefits to the wider community, especially farmers, by ensuring more efficient means of transportation.