VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Diesel power plants (PLTDs) of the national power utility company PLN could use pure crude palm oil (CPO) without mixture for fuel, the Executive Director of the Institute for Essential Services Reform (IESR) Fabby Tumiwa has said. Technically, CPO does not necessarily be mixed with diesel oil, but it needs special treatment before being used that it will have the characteristics of automotive diesel oil (AD), Fabby said.

"CPO needs preheating up to a certain temperature. Therefore, basically, it is possible to use pure CPO to fuel PLTDs," he said in Jakarta on Monday.

The government has ruled the use of CPO but at a 20 percent ratio in a mixture with ADO known as B20 for transport and industrial fuel. The policy is to save oil fuel and increase demand for CPO, which has been low in market demand. The problem is the CPO price being very unstable.
It would be most likely when the CPO price is high, the producers would refuse to supply CPO at a price below the export price, he said.

"PLN needs a stable price and continuity of supply," he added.

A lawmaker from the Commission VII Ramson Siagian expressed support for the idea of using pure CPO to fuel power plants of PLN, saying "it would significantly save foreign exchange for the import of ADO. At the same time, CPO would have wider market in the country that the result could be an increase in CPO price on higher demand, Ramson said. However, he said, it would need to make sure that the use of CPO would not reduce the life time of the PLTD machines.

Researcher from the Center for Study and Application of Technology (BPPT) Agus Kismanto said not all PLTDs such as low revolution (rpm 750) PLTDs of PLN could use CPO for fuel.

Agus said, currently, PLTDs use residue/marine fuel oil, adding that in order to be compatible with CPO, PLN needs to consult first with the factory producing the PLTD machines. He said currently there is PLTD machines with the brand of MAN from Germany and Wartsila from Finland , which have special machine of PLTD using CPO for fuel. He suggested that all PLTDs using ADO should be shut to be replaced with ones using CPO for fuel.

"Indonesia needs only to buy the license and we could produce PLTD machines in the country . This is very feasible business as we have thousands of PLT units," he said.

Agus Kismanto suggested that the fund managed by the BPDP-KS (the Body managing the oil palm plantation fund) be used to finance the PLN program for the PLTD fuel conversion, to ensure certainty for the state electricity company in CPO supply at a stable price.

Fabby Tumiwa has another suggestion to create a win win solution between PLN and CPO producers that is to adopt cost plus margin or cost plus adjustment scheme in case of change in CPO price in the world market.

Earlier, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Ignasius Jonan said he had told PLN as the authority in electricity in Indonesia, to replace ADO with CPO.

"We have instructed PLN to change the fuel of PLTDs with a total capacity of at least 1,800 megawatts with pure CPO," Jonan said when opening an Indonesia- Finland business forum here recently.

Minister of State Enterprises (BUMN) Rini Soemarno also encourages PLN to stop using ADO to fuel its power plants.

Currently there have been technology to use pure CPO to fuel PLTDs, therefore, PLN should use only CPO, she said here last week.

The use of CPO which is available in abundance in the country would reduce dependence of PLN on imports for oil fuel (BBM), Rini said, adding the conversion could save as much as US$1 billion in imports of ADO. (ant)

Indonesia could use China`s digital commerce platforms to boost its exports not only to China but also to other countries, Indonesian ambassador to China Djauhari Oratmangun said in Beijing, on Monday ( 10/12 /2018 ) 

"If we want to boost exports, investment and tourism we have to have good relations with China as our main partner. China has an advanced IT and e-commerce," Djauhari said when receiving delegation of China-Indonesia discussion on China-ASEAN relations.

During the Singles Day sales event, he said, Alibaba gained a total US$30.79 billion in 24 hours while JD.com obtained US$18 billion.

"These two largest platforms in China could get more than US$48 billion in just 24 hours, an amount bigger than our export value to China in a year," he remarked.

The ambassador said Indonesia should use these digital commerce platforms which have already launched the Indonesian Pavilion to boost its export.

Currently five Indonesian products that have entered the digital platform are shrimp crackers, biscuits, coffee, instant noodle and swallow nest.

Other potential digital-based enteprises are Jumore which has existed in 157 countries and Tencent which has operated social communication WeChat to develop cashless payment method for tourists.

"However for this issue we need to have the regulation, especially for tourists to assure the state revenue from this transaction," he said.

China has contributed the largest number of tourists to the country at 2.5 million and it is expected to reach 3 million in 2018. (ant)

Juang Kartika Day TNI-AD is a special date specifically commemorated to commemorate the Battle of Ambarawa. Previously named Infantry Day. The struggle of the People's Security Army (TKR) led by General Sudirman in mid-December 1945 made the allied army pinned and finally retreated from Ambarawa to Semarang. Although confronted with all the power of modern weaponry and the ability of allied tactics and strategies, the Indonesian fighters never flinched in the slightest. They launched a vigorous attack while carrying out a tight siege in all corners of the city of Ambarawa. With this double siege movement the allies are truly confined. The battle ended with a brilliant victory from TKR. The strong allied fortress of the TKR forces was captured. The victory of the battle of Ambarawa on December 15, 1945 and the success of the Great Commander General Soedirman were later enshrined in the form of the monument of Palagan Ambarawa. The TNI AD commemorates that date every year as an Infantry Day. Based on RI Decree No. 163/1999, the Infantry Day was then replaced with the name Hari Juang Kartika. (pnri.go.id)

The birth of Nusantara Day originated from the Djoeanda Declaration which was initiated on December 13, 1957. Geo-politically and geo-economically this declaration has very important and fundamental meanings for the life and progress of the Indonesian nation. Officially Nusantara Day began to be commemorated since December 13, 2000, which was subsequently confirmed as one of the national days through Presidential Decree No.126 of 2001. (pnri.go.id)