RI should seek alternative fuel

RI should seek alternative fuel

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

With the recent fuel shortage troubling many cities across the
country, automotive experts have urged Indonesia to seek
alternative fuel for its millions of vehicles.

The country has been facing a fuel scarcity following state
oil and gas firm Pertamina's move to reduce fuel supply at
weekends to meet the government-set quota of 59.6 million
kiloliters.

"Never in the past did people predict we would be in this kind
of situation, although everybody knows that fossil fuels will run
out someday. It's time to move to alternative energies," said
Peter Froeschle of DaimlerChrysler's research and technology
department at a symposium here on Thursday.

"The first and most important step is to make policies to
provide better fuels before we look for alternative fuels," he
said, suggesting the consumption of leaded gasoline be reduced.

He explained that high-quality fuel burned more efficiently
but also enabled low-emission technology to be installed in the
vehicles.

Froeschle suggested the use of natural gas, of which Indonesia
has vast reserves of 188.34 trillion standard cubic feet, as one
solution.

However, he said the investment for compressed natural gas
(CNG) refiling stations for vehicles remained a big challenge.

"Only vehicles with manageable daily mileage, like public
buses or taxis, can use CNG because the refiling stations are
scarce," he said.

Biomass, he further explained, could be another alternative.

Froeschle said in his paper that in Europe, 20 percent of fuel
requirements could be covered by biofuels, which would prevent up
to 200 million tons of carbon dioxide emission annually and
reduce emissions by up to 50 percent.

He said each developing countries could either chose to apply
CNG or biomass, as both effectively reduced emission levels in
the air.

"All energy that is not derived from fossil fuels is good, be
it solar, gas or biomass. It depends on the potential of the
country."

In an effort to reduce emission levels, the Ministry of
Transportation is preparing legislation that would allow the
private sector to conduct emission tests across the country.

The ministry's department for land transportation
infrastructure Djarot Subroto said 200 regencies and cities had
emission test posts, but the other 200 regencies and cities did
not. (006)