REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - PT Pertamina (Persero) collaborated with Toyota to conduct a first charge and test the use of bioethanol sourced from sorghum stems in four-wheeled vehicles. The test was conducted at the Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS) 2024 motor vehicle industry exhibition at Indonesia Convention Exhibition (ICE), Tangerang Regency, Banten, Wednesday (24/7/2024).
In trials conducted at GIIAS 2024, 100 percent bioethanol (E100) produced from sorghum plants was used as an alternative fuel in Toyota's Flex Fuel Vehicle (FFV) vehicles.
Pertamina Senior Vice President Research & Technology Innovation Oki Muraza said that in order to hold trials at GIIAS 2024, Pertamina has produced as much as 150 liters of bioethanol produced from biomass pulp, namely Sorghum plant stems.
The vegetable fuel production process uses distillation and dehydration equipment found in Pertamina's technology innovation laboratory facility. The move is also part of Pertamina's commitment to sharpen competencies and expand collaboration to promote the development and utilization of bioenergy in various sectors.
“Nira sorghum is obtained through cooperation with universities that have carried out test plantings on several plots. After that, the resulting nira is fermented into bioethanol and then purified,” Oki said.
Oki said the bioethanol produced by Pertamina had tested in Toyota Fortuner Flex Fuel Vehicle (FFV) vehicles showed improved performance with more perfect combustion and lower emissions compared to fossil fuels in general.
Pertamina's next step, Oki said, is to increase bioethanol production from a laboratory scale to a larger scale. In addition, Pertamina is exploring partnerships to obtain availability of Sorghum and other vegetable materials.
“By producing bioethanol from Sorghum not only becomes a new renewable energy source for Indonesia, but also this innovation of producing fuel without competing with food materials, can open new jobs and small and medium-sized businesses in the sorghum plantation, Nira processing, and bioethanol processing sectors,” Oki said.
Pertamina's Vice President of Corporate Communication Fadjar Djoko Santoso said Pertamina is continuously promoting the use of bioethanol as a transportation fuel.
In addition to presenting the latest innovation, namely 100 percent bioethanol (E100), at the same time Pertamina is also gradually implementing bioethanol in Indonesia starting with Pertamax Green 95, a fuel with a bioethanol content of 5 percent (E5).
Fadjar said the implementation of E5 in downstream industries could benefit from reducing national fuel imports, opening up new jobs, increasing gross domestic product (GDP) and contributing to a reduction in emissions of 2.8 million tons of CO2 or 1.9 percent of emissions per year.
“The use of bioethanol will strengthen Pertamina's roadmap in the development of new renewable energy. Pertamina will gradually do the main thing to support the government's program, which is to achieve the net zero emission target by 2060,” Fadjar said.
