B20 biodiesel policy is the compulsory usage of 20 percent palm oil mixed in Solar-branded diesel (B20 biodiesel) (Image credit: Viva)

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources: Indonesia saves up to US$1.6 billion from Biodiesel utilization

On Monday, the Vice Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Archandra Tahar said Indonesia has successfully saved up to US$ 1.66 billion or IDR 23 trillion from biodiesel use. The saving occurred because of the decreasing of solar fuel’s imports from January to July 2019, added the vice minister at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs office in Jakarta.

The saving also reflects that the country has effectively implemented the 20 percent blended biodiesel (B20) policy. Approximately 100 percent of the mixed-energy fuel had been effectively used for the past 7 months, according to Tahar.

B20 biodiesel policy is the compulsory usage of 20 percent palm oil mixed in Solar-branded diesel (B20 biodiesel). The policy has been introduced by the government since 2016 after the price of crude palm oil significantly decreased at the global market. In September 2018, the government officially imposed the policy and ordered all domestic’s diesel machines such as heavy equipment and train locomotive to use B20.

After B20 the government plans to implement a new regulation of the compulsory usage of B30. The government is currently examining and evaluating the usage of B30. The examination is planned to be done in October.

However, when the government will impose the regulation is still unknown. Currently, the government keeps running the trial and evaluating the policy, said Vice Minister Tahar.

Previously on Monday, August 12, President of Indonesia Joko Widodo in a closed meeting on the evaluation of the Biodiesel’s implementation said the government expects to alter B20 to B30 in early 2020 and B50 in December 2020.

Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/1235078/ministry-indonesia-saves-up-to-rp23tn-from-biodiesel-