State-run oil firm PT Pertamina is ready to rev up the production of green fuel in the path to achieving national energy self-sufficiency and developing green energy toward realizing a healthy Indonesia.
The development of green fuel will encourage the achievement of the government’s target of new renewable energy being 23 percent of the national energy mix by 2025, Pertamina's Director of Processing Budi Santoso Syarif stated here on Thursday.
"Pertamina has produced B20 biodiesel since 2016, and it had been developed widely in accordance with the government's policy to expand the mandatory use of B20 biodiesel that took effect on September 1, 2019," Syarif noted.
Illust. B30 biodiesel. (ANTARA/Chairul Rohman)
During the 2016-2019 period, as of September, Pertamina had distributed 61.48 million kiloliters of B20 biodiesel, with the absorption of Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAME) having reached 4.02 million KL, or 67 percent of its target in 2019.
"In line with the expansion of the mandatory use of B20, FAME absorption in the past two years has shown a significant increase. Pertamina has continued to expand the supply of B20 not only for vehicles but also for the industry," Syarif remarked.
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Syarif drew attention to Rp28.4 trillion (some US$2 billion) of the country's foreign exchange being saved through the B20 program, while this year’s target aims to save US$3 billion of foreign exchange.
After its success with the B20 program, Pertamina will direct its focus on the B30 program. "Pertamina has fully supported the government's program to begin the use of B30 biodiesel in January 2020," he pointed out.
Pertamina has completed its trial on Indonesia's first biorefinery in the Dumai and Plaju refineries using the co-processing method.
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With the application of technology, Syarif affirmed that Pertamina is ready to develop crude palm oil-based green fuel.
The state oil firm is also ready to adopt the standalone technology to process CPO into green fuel.
"The Green Refinery Program is targeted for completion in 2024, so we are ready to enter the new era toward Green Indonesia" he added.
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