Indonesia Targets E50 Petrol Blend to Cut Fuel Imports
Indonesia is accelerating plans to expand its bioethanol sector, setting its sights on an eventual E50 petrol blend to reduce fuel imports and insulate the country from global energy market volatility. The initiative follows the country’s successful rollout of its B50 biodiesel programme and reflects growing government support for domestically produced renewable transport fuels. Bahlil Lahadalia, Indonesia’s Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, announced that President Prabowo Subianto instructed the National Energy Council to develop a roadmap toward E50. The target fuel contains a mixture of 50 percent ethanol and 50 percent petrol. According to ministry data, Indonesia consumes approximately 39 million to 40 million kilolitres of petrol annually. Officials expect that increasing reliance on domestic bioethanol will significantly curb foreign fuel dependency.
Phased Rollout Schedule for Ethanol Blends
The proposed transition to high-blend biofuels will be introduced in stages to match domestic agricultural and industrial expansion. Current plans schedule the initial introduction of E10 in 2027.
This will be followed by an E20 blend before policymakers progress toward the ultimate E50 target as domestic production capacity scales up. The Indonesian government has explicitly mandated that all ethanol utilised in the blending programme must originate from domestic feedstocks rather than imports.
Indonesia Expands Sugarcane, Cassava and Corn for Ethanol
To support the long-term growth of the bioenergy sector, Indonesia is looking primarily to sugarcane, cassava, and corn as feedstocks for future ethanol production. Authorities are examining large-scale agricultural expansion, which includes discussions about developing millions of hectares of sugarcane cultivation. If fully realised, the E50 target will represent one of the world’s most ambitious ethanol blending programmes.
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