Prabowo Administration Aims for E20 Fuel Implementation Within Two Years, Focusing on Domestic Production

The Indonesian government has set a target to produce and implement E20 fuel, which involves a 20% ethanol blend in gasoline, within the next two years. This ambitious goal was discussed in a limited meeting chaired by President Prabowo Subianto at the Presidential Palace Complex in Jakarta on Wednesday, September 16. Coordinating Minister for Food and Agriculture Zulkifli Hasan, also affectionately known as Zuhas, stated that the meeting, directly led by the President, confirmed the objective: "In the next two years, we can produce at least E20." According to Zuhas, the government will rely on ethanol derived from sugarcane. The Minister of Agriculture has been instructed to prepare a production plan, including the assessment of land requirements. Zuhas emphasized that the supply of ethanol for E20 is targeted to come entirely from within the country. "E20 in the country is all," he asserted. The government, Zuhas added, has studied several raw material options, with sugarcane being considered the most feasible compared to other commodities. For the first phase, the government estimates a need for around 2 million hectares of land. Zulhas highlighted that the government must work hard to achieve the two-year target, especially amidst global developments that make energy resilience increasingly a focus. After E20 is successfully implemented, the government plans to gradually increase the ethanol mixture. "In stages, we will move towards E50 like B50, but the first one is E20. In the long term, it will go to E50," Zuhas said. The meeting also discussed the involvement of Danantara in developing the industries needed for ethanol production. The agenda of energy resilience and downstreaming was also a significant part of the government's discussions with Danantara.