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Pertamina appreciates bioethanol innovation from sweet sorghum
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Pertamina president commissioner Simon Aloysius Mantiri (second left) and Pertamina senior vice president research & technology innovation Oki Muraza (second right) pose on July 26, 2024 alongside Toyota representatives in front of the Innova Zenix HEV Flex Fuel hybrid bioethanol car during the Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS 2024) at Indonesia Convention Exhibition in BSD City, Tangerang, Banten.
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ertamina continues to encourage various innovations, especially green energy, in order to realize national energy security and independence. One such innovation is bioethanol made from sweet sorghum.
After a successful trial of its sorghum-based bioethanol in two Toyota flexible-fuel vehicles (FFVs) on July 24, Pertamina president commissioner Simon Aloysius Mantiri assessed its performance by test-driving one vehicle on July 26 during the Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS) at Indonesia Convention Exhibition (ICE) in BSD City, Tangerang, Banten.
Following the test-drive, Simon expressed his appreciation for the Pertamina employees who had contributed to successfully innovating bioethanol from sorghum as its latest green energy product. He also expressed his hope that Pertamina’s biofuel engineers would continue to innovate green energy for wider use in other vehicles to reduce emissions further.
“I appreciate the innovation and achievements of Pertamina [workers]. I have test-driven a Toyota FFV powered by bioethanol. It feels the same as using conventional fuel, everything is smooth and good,” Simon added.
Pertamina has produced 150 liters of bioethanol using biomass derived from the stems of sweet sorghum, using the distillation and dehydration equipment at the oil and gas giant’s Technology Innovation Laboratory.
In the next step, Permtamina aims to scale up bioethanol production to the industrial level. Bioethanol made from sweet sorghum offers a new source of renewable energy for Indonesia without cutting into the production of grain sorghum for food.
Simon encouraged Pertamina workers to continue to innovate products that benefited the nation and state, emphasizing the importance of integrating environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles in view to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“Pertamina employees, let's continue to support Pertamina in the energy sector. Hopefully, Pertamina will become a driving force for the nation's energy security in achieving energy self-sufficiency through environmentally friendly innovations,” he said.
Simon also conveyed his appreciation for Pertamina in taking part in GIIAS 2024, showcasing its support for advancing Indonesia’s automotive sector. In particular, its participation at this year’s GIIAS highlighted Pertamina’s presence in the country’s automotive ecosystem through the production of superior fuel and lubricant products, establishing green energy fuel stations and innovating environmentally friendly fuels, as well as collaborating with racing teams.
“Through Pertamina's presence at GIIAS 2024, I hope the automotive industry will always grow together with Pertamina, which supports the development of environmentally friendly fuels,” he said.
