Apkasi to promote use of biofuels

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR) is teaming up with the All Indonesia Regency Administration Association (Apkasi) to help accelerate the use of alternative sources of energy such as biofuels in the country.

The two are scheduled to sign an MoU in Bali on Thursday, MEMR said in a statement, under which Apkasi will help promote the use of alternative energy in all regencies in the country to help reduce the dependency on conventional fuels and cut down the government huge subsidy on fuels, as well as help protect the environment.

The ministry, through a decree, has made it mandatory the use of biodiesel starting next month for the sector that is entitled to use subsidized fuels (transportation sector, excluding transportation in the mining sector); and starting next year for the sectors that are barred from using subsidized fuels (power sector and industries).

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak