Indonesia remains committed to launching its B50 biodiesel program in 2026, which will raise the palm oil content in fuel blends to 50 percent. However, the government has ruled out a January rollout due to delays in road testing and ongoing technical, economic, and sustainability studies. Eniya Listiani Dewi, renewables director general at the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, stated that trials will take six to eight months, making early implementation unlikely. Two new biodiesel plants in Kalimantan and Sumatra are expected to boost production capacity, but only three of the five required facilities are currently under construction. The B50 blend will require 20 million tonnes of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME), a significant increase from B40’s 15 million tonnes, raising concerns about infrastructure readiness and feedstock availability. Financial and environmental challenges also cloud the B50 rollout. Eniya proposed an additional Rp 16 trillion in subsidies for the current B40 program, citing adjustments to the existing Rp 35.5 trillion budget, which was reduced from an initial Rp 51 trillion benchmark. The subsidy amount depends on the price gap between crude palm oil (CPO) and diesel fuel. While the Indonesia Biofuel Producers Association (Aprobi) remains optimistic, noting an installed capacity of 19.6 million kiloliters, it warned that rising domestic demand could reduce biodiesel exports. National CPO output fell to 48.26 million tonnes in 2024 from 50.07 million tonnes in 2023, adding pressure to meet future biodiesel targets amid uneven infrastructure and environmental concerns.Source: https://www.thejakartapost.com/business/2025/08/12/govt-still-set-for-2026-b50-biodiesel-target-but-rules-out-january-kickoff.html (ICE GIACARTA)

Fonte notizia: The Jakarta Post, 12 August 2025