Ford's Everest, Ranger can run on B5 biodiesel blend

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Thu, 06/15/2006 1:12 PM  |  Life

Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

PT Ford Motor Indonesia (FMI) announced last week that its diesel-powered models -- the Everest sports utility vehicle (SUV) and Ranger pickup -- could run on biodiesel fuel sold by state oil and gas firm PT Pertamina.

The product, B5 biodiesel blend, provides an alternative to existing diesel, also sold by Pertamina, whose quality has been a cause of concern for some users of diesel-powered vehicles due to its high sulfur content -- up to 3,500 parts per million (ppm) -- deemed detrimental to the environment and health.

For diesel engines using common rail technology, high content of sulfur will also cause clogging in the injection system which eventually affects the engine's performance. Sold at Rp 4,300 per liter, the diesel fuel has a ""cetane"" rating of 48.

In comparison, the B5 biodiesel blend has 243 ppm of sulfur with a cetane rating of 51 and is sold at Rp 4,300 per liter. The blend consists of 5 percent of biodiesel and 95 percent petroleum-based diesel fuel. Biodiesel is produced from natural oil such as palm or castor oil from the jatropha plant.

Theoretically, the use of a biodiesel blend is advantageous in several ways. A higher cetane number will improve performance while a lower sulfur content will reduce toxic emissions.

It also helps reduce Indonesia's dwindling oil reserves while reducing the funds that need to be used on subsidy expenditure. The government, at the expense of taxpayers, subsidizes oil-based fuel for retail users.

""We understand that energy conservation is an important issue both in Indonesia and the world,"" PT FMI president director Richard C. Baker said in a statement.

""We also support Indonesia's national energy policy as stipulated by Presidential Decree No.5/2006, which aims to secure supplies of energy.""

Although a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Indonesia has become a net oil importer due to rising domestic demand and dwindling production from its aging oil fields.

Earlier, Pertamina also introduced a low-sulfur diesel fuel, Pertadex, with 300 ppm of sulfur and cetane rating of 53. Sold at Rp 6,100, the fuel, however, has yet to become widely available.

That is also true of B5 biodiesel blend, which is only available at five fuel stations in Jakarta. They are on Jl. Industri, Central Jakarta; Jl. TB Simatupang in Cinere and Pasar Minggu, Jl. Minangkabau and Jl. Tendean in South Jakarta.

Baker added that Ford has led studies on alternative fuels and technology such as biodiesel, gasohol, hybrid engines and hydrogen in addition to developing cleaner and fuel-efficient engines.

PT FMI's general marketing manager told The Jakarta Post that customers could start using B5 blend without needing any engine adjustment as they were already designed to run on B5 blend.

""We announced it recently because Pertamina has just launched the B5 blend. We already have the technology but the fuel came later.

""Our Focus sedans, for example, can run on up to 20 percent ethanol or E20 gasohol. But there is no gasohol widely available here as yet,"" he said.

Contacted separately, David K. Supangkat from PT Krama Yudha Tiga Berlian Motors -- sole distributors of Mitsubishi Motors -- told the Post his company was still thinking about collaborating with the Bandung Institute of Technology to test biodiesel using Mitsubishi Strada pickups.

""Unfortunately, we do not have any stock of Strada now for the studies. We would be very happy to do so,"" he said over the phone.

Meanwhile, spokesperson of PT Kia Mobil Indonesia Yanti Y. Soedarman told the Post her company had yet to carry out studies into biodiesel usage on the Korean carmaker's models.

""We and our principal have still to conduct such studies; therefore we are not yet recommending our customers use biodiesel,"" she said.

Yanti said the company would make an announcement once such studies had been completed.

Copyright © 2008 The Jakarta Post - PT Bina Media Tenggara. All Rights Reserved.