B50 biodiesel road tests show positive initial results

By Pandu Setiabudi

Road tests of Indonesia’s B50 biodiesel blend have shown positive initial results, with trials across various vehicle types indicating good fuel performance, an energy ministry official said.

Harris Yahya, Secretary of the Directorate General of New, Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation (EBTKE) at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, said early findings suggest the higher biodiesel blend performs well in vehicles.

“The initial findings show that B50 actually performs better in vehicles,” Harris said during the an event on Tuesday (March 10, 2026).

The B50 road tests have been conducted on a range of vehicles, from small passenger cars to heavy-duty vehicles such as trucks and buses. The trials have so far covered more than 20,000 kilometres, he said.

Read also: Govt considers accelerating B50, E20 rollout as oil prices rise

“B50 is currently undergoing road tests on various vehicles, ranging from small cars to mini trucks, large trucks and buses. So far, the test has covered more than 20,000 kilometers,” Harris said.

He added that the development of a B50 mandate would depend on several factors, including the availability of feedstock from crude palm oil (CPO) production.

“Of course, other factors must also be considered, because this also depends on CPO production,” he said.

Earlier, Deputy Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Yuliot Tanjung said the government had decided to maintain the B40 biodiesel mandate throughout 2026, citing technical, fiscal and market considerations. Any move toward B50 would also depend on the price spread between crude oil and CPO.

However, amid rising oil prices and ongoing global market volatility, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia recently said the government is considering accelerating the rollout of B50 biodiesel as well as bioethanol blending mandates to strengthen national energy security.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak