Jakarta – The Indonesian government has planned to conduct a road test of the palm oil-based biodiesel 40 percent (B40) in early February 2022.

“We plan to conduct the road test of B40 early next month (February 2022),” Dadan Kusdiana, director general of new and renewable energy and energy conservation at the ministry of energy and mineral resources (MEMR) said in Jakarta on Monday, 17 January 2022.

According to him, the road test of B40 will take up to five months since the initial stage of road test.

He said that they had conducted a laboratory test on the use of B40 in 2020 and 2021. “From the laboratory test we’ve got the necessary specific information on the use of B40,” he said.

“For further implementation, we’re waiting for the results of this road test. We’re also preparing recommendations regarding its production as it should be followed with the increase of quality—the quality of its biodiesel and diesel fuel used for its mixture,” he said.

He said that currently the government has implemented the policy of mandatory production of the palm oil-based biodiesel 30 percent (B30), which is aimed to increase the use of new and renewable energy, reduce trade deficit, and cut the carbon dioxide emissions.

He noted that during 2021, the realization of biodiesel 30 percent (B30) reached 9.3 million kiloliter. Saving of foreign exchange from the use of B30 amounted to Rp66.54 trillion.

He said that during the period of 2015 – 2021, the total volume of biodiesel that had been paid amounted to 29.14 million kiloliters with the total value of Rp110 trillion. “And the total volume of biodiesel that had been distributed during 2021 reached 33.07 million kiloliters,” he added.

“There are many benefits of the biodiesel use. It will increase the use of new and renewable energy, increase the local consumption of crude palm oil (CPO), improve the prices of CPO bought from smallholders, and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions,” said Dadan. (*)

Source: Warta Ekonomi/Antara