Indonesia is preparing up to two million hectares of land for the development of a domestic bioethanol industry, with corn among the crops being developed as a source of ethanol feedstock. Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman announced the plan after a coordination meeting with 44 district heads in Jakarta on September 21.
The programme covers three main crops: sugarcane, cassava and corn. The Agriculture Ministry is working with regional governments to map available land, identify suitable crops and assess whether different areas are ready to supply the raw materials needed for bioethanol production.
The government’s wider biofuel programme includes plans to introduce higher ethanol blends in petrol. Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia said President Prabowo Subianto had instructed the National Energy Council to prepare a roadmap towards E50, a petrol blend containing 50 per cent ethanol.
Indonesia is currently preparing for the implementation of E20, which contains 20 per cent ethanol. The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry estimates that the country would need around four million kilolitres of ethanol each year to meet the E20 requirement, based on annual petrol consumption of about 40 million kilolitres.
The Agriculture Ministry expects the new bioethanol programme to involve production from agricultural cultivation through to industrial processing. Amran said the programme could create around eight million permanent jobs, while the government has also said domestic production could reduce spending on imported fuel.
