Prabowo States Indonesia Has Many Alternative Energy Sources: We Can Obtain Fuel from Maize and Sugarcane

JAKARTA — President Prabowo Subianto stated that Indonesia possesses various alternative energy sources that can be processed into fuel, including maize and sugarcane.

He made these remarks whilst delivering a policy address at the inaugural anniversary commemoration of Danantara Indonesia at Wisma Danantara in Jakarta on Wednesday, 11 March 2026.

According to Prabowo, the potential of domestic energy raw materials is substantial and can be leveraged to accelerate national energy independence.

“We have a great deal of palm oil. We will have sufficient cassava. We can obtain fuel from maize, from sugarcane,” he said.

Prabowo assessed that the world currently faces various crises creating uncertainty in many nations. However, he stated that these conditions can present opportunities for Indonesia to accelerate various strategic national agendas.

“Crisis always produces opportunity. Crisis is a test. Crisis is a stepping stone. The strong will survive, the weak will continue to suffer. This is a lesson from history,” he said.

According to Prabowo, Indonesia possesses considerable capital to address such situations because of its abundant natural resources.

He expressed optimism that the nation can emerge from global pressures in a stronger position.

“I am confident and believe that the Indonesian nation has been blessed with extraordinary natural wealth and we are capable of emerging from this crisis. We will emerge from this crisis even stronger,” he said.

He stated that the government has designed various strategic programmes to achieve food self-sufficiency and energy self-sufficiency in the coming years.

Some food self-sufficiency targets, he said, have already begun to be realised.

Meanwhile, energy independence is targeted to be achieved within approximately four years.

“We already have the intention for energy self-sufficiency which we are confident will be achieved within four years. But this forces us to accelerate. We must speed up,” he said.

Beyond agricultural bioenergy feedstocks, Prabowo also highlighted Indonesia’s substantial geothermal energy potential for utilisation in the energy transition programme.

“We have geothermal resources that are very large, if I am not mistaken the second largest reserves in the world that have not been fully exploited,” Prabowo said.