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Nationwide trial of B30 biodiesel to start in November
Last month, government researchers completed a road test measuring the consumption and emission of the B30 biodiesel on passenger cars and trucks
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Former energy and mineral resources minister Ignasius Jonan (second right) fills a car with 30 percent biodiesel (B30) fuel during the launch of the road test for the palm oil-based biofuel in Jakarta on June 13. State oil and gas company Pertamina plans to conduct a nationwide trial on the distribution of the palm-based biodiesel in November. (Antara/-)
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nationwide commercial trial on the distribution of the 30 percent blended biodiesel (B30) is expected to begin this month as part of preparations for the mandatory use of the palm-oil based biodiesel starting January.
Biofuel producers and Pertamina, which is Indonesia’s largest fuel retailer, said they were ready for such a trial to determine the readiness of distribution, transportation and storage facilities to begin the mandatory use of the B30 biodiesel fuel, a diesel fuel blended with 30 percent palm-based biofuel.
The ministry’s bioenergy director, Andriah Feby Misna, told The Jakarta Post that her office was still calculating the allocation of key biofuel ingredients, fatty acid methyl esters (FAME), for the production of the B30 biofuel.
The government will have to increase this year’s quota for subsidized FAME, which is currently fixed at 6.6 million kiloliters, to accommodate the commercial trial. “Hopefully everything will go well so we can execute the test by the end of November,” she said.
The use of palm-based biodiesel is subsidized by the government because its production cost is still below retail price.
While the energy ministry is still crunching numbers, an Indonesian Biodiesel Producers Association (APROBI) leader estimated the quota would need to be increased by between 250,000 and 400,000 kl, depending on whether the trial began in mid-November or early December.
“If last month was a road test conducted on cars, then this is a much bigger test, involving ships,” said APROBI executive director Paulus Tjakrawan, adding that retail prices would not change.
