VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The government is committed to continuing to encourage the development of bio-hydrocarbon biofuels, which have the same or even better characteristics than hydrocarbon compounds or fossil-based fuels.

"Bio-hydrocarbon biofuel that is environmentally friendly can later be used directly as a substitute for fossil fuels with no adjustments to vehicle engines," said the Head of the Human Resources Development Agency of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Prahoro Yulijanto Nurtjahyo at the opening of the webinar entitled Welcoming the Era of Bio-hydrocarbons in Indonesia, on Wednesday.

In his statement in Jakarta, Wednesday, Prahoro said that bio-hydrocarbon biofuel can be divided into green gasoline, green diesel, and bio-jet fuel.

Tatang Hernas Soerawidjaja, a webinar speaker who is also the Chair of the Indonesian Bioenergy Expert Association (IKABI) said that Indonesia has extraordinary wealth which enabled it to become the center of world bio-hydrocarbons and developed countries in the era of a bio-based economy (bio-based economy).

"Hopefully, the innovation of the Indonesian nation's children will empower this extraordinary vegetable wealth to become a potential driving force for the strong and rapid growth of the country's economy," he said.

On the same occasion, Lies Aisyah, PPTMGB Lemigas researcher, hopes that the development of biofuel for energy should reduce dependence on imported oil and to replace diesel and gasoline, which currently has the mandatory implementation for diesel at the B30 level.

Government policies in the mandatory direction of biodiesel and the development of bio-hydrocarbons or green fuels are absolutely necessary to encourage national energy security, save foreign exchange, and reduce CO2 emissions.

"The formulation of the direction of the bio-hydrocarbon policy and the formulation of standards and quality (specifications) and the nomenclature are the top priorities," said Lies.

Andianto Hidayat, VP of Downstream Research Technology Innovation of PT Pertamina (Persero), revealed Indonesia's readiness in welcoming the bio-hydrocarbon era with the initiation of domestic catalyst products (Red and White catalysts) and the synergy of state-owned enterprises.

"The acceleration of research, testing, and development of bio-hydrocarbons (Pertamina's bio-refinery project) does not escape the government's support, especially the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources in providing relaxation of biodiesel prices," he said. (Antaranews)