Prabowo says biofuel plans can end Indonesia’s fuel imports
The president said the government was working towards a 10 per cent ethanol blend in 2026, with E20 and E50 as possible later steps.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto said he believed the country could eventually stop importing fuel by expanding its use of plant-based alternatives. He outlined the prospect at a full cabinet meeting at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on 21 October 2026.
Prabowo said his government was working in 2026 to mix 10 per cent ethanol, or plant-based fuel, into conventional fuel. He suggested Indonesia might reach E20 in two years and E50 two years after that, rather than presenting those steps as firm deadlines.
He said Indonesia had already reached B50 and would pursue E50. In his assessment, achieving both E50 and B50 would remove the need for fuel imports.
Prabowo linked his confidence to Indonesia’s alternative energy resources. He said global turmoil had pushed crude oil prices higher, but argued that the country retained resilience because it had abundant coal and geothermal resources, as well as the ability to produce diesel from plants.
