Minister launches B30 road test

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Ignasius Jonan, accompanied by Deputy Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arcandra Tahar, on Thursday launched road test for the use of automotive diesel containing 30 percent biofuel derived from palm oil (also known as B30 biodiesel) in diesel-engine trucks and passenger cars as the government prepares to implement the mandatory use of B30 next year.

The ministry said in a statement that three trucks and eight passenger cars, fueled by B30, will travel for 40,000-km and 50,000-km, respectively.

Jonan was quoted by the statement as saying that the road test is not only aimed to test the engine of the vehicles running on B30, but also to promote to the public that the use of the B30 fuel will not cause harm to the vehicles and would not cause higher maintenance cost.

Jonan said that the mandatory B30 policy will be implemented next year.  The government has implemented the mandatory B20 policy since 2016, requiring subsidized automotive diesel to contain 20 percent biofuel derived from fatty acid methyl ester (or FAME).  In September of last year, the government expanded the mandatory use of B20 to other sectors outside the transportation sector in a bid to increase the use of renewable energy in the country, cut down import of automotive diesel, and help increase the price of palm oil.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak