Indonesia Explores Gasoline Production from Coal

JAKARTA - Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Bahlil Lahadalia spoke up regarding President Prabowo Subianto's statement that he wants Indonesia to produce gasoline from coal. Bahlil said the government would follow up on the head of state's direction to strengthen energy resilience in the midst of uncertain geopolitical conditions, and so that Indonesia can be free of fuel imports. "One of them is alternative energy from coal," Bahlil told the media when met at the Sudirman Hall, Jakarta, Monday, September 21. Bahlil gave an example of several countries such as China which have used low-calorific coal to produce gas. According to him, a number of companies have also offered cooperation to the Indonesian government. "Several companies have offered to work with us," he said. Moreover, he said, the potential for low-calorie coal in Indonesia is quite large so that its utilization can be one of the options for optimizing domestic energy resources. For information, the use of coal to make gasoline was revealed by Prabowo when he attended the 100th anniversary of Pondok Modern Darussalam Gontor, East Java, Saturday, September 19. "Our smart professors, who are really smart, yes, not the professor just now, from our engineering faculties, have managed to make solar from palm oil and can make gasoline from palm oil. And, we will also make gasoline from coal," said Prabowo.