JAKARTA– General Director of New and Renewable Energy and Energy (NREEC) Conservation, Rida Mulyana, Tuesday (17/2) opened a Seminar about The Technical Study and The Biodiesel Advantage Test (B20) to vehicles and heavy equipment.

The cermony was held in the Hall of General Directorate of NREEC, which was attended by the representatives of Ministries/Instances from the central and regional, research and development, academists, fuel distributors, biodiesel producers, manufacturer of vehicle and heavy equipments and the related associations.

Based on the press conference, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (EMR), Indonesian fuel production could not afford the domestic needs. “In 2015, the government targets,the Indonesian fuel lifting are about 825 thousands barrel per day. While the needs of fuel are predicted about 1,6 millions barrel per day. Indonesia should do imports to fulfill the fuel,” he said.

So one solution to reduce the fuel import is by advantaging the vegetable fuel, such as, biodiesel as the subsitute.

As the government’s seriousness to increase the vegetable fuel, the government has made a mandatory policy of vegetable fuel which is made in the Regulation of Secretary of EMR No 32 / 2008 as it is changed into the Regulation of Secretary of EMR No. 20 / 2014 saying that in 2016, biodiesel should be advantaged up to 20% (B20) and will be more to be 30% in 2020. (T3)