Indonesian state energy company Pertamina plans to begin producing bioethanol from sugarcane and cassava this year and has also begun production of green hydrogen using geothermal energy, its chief executive told a conference on Wednesday (Jun 28).

Indonesia, the world’s biggest palm oil biodiesel user, has been working to introduce bioethanol mandates for petrol to further cut fuel imports and carbon emissions, but securing adequate feedstock is a key hurdle.

“This year, we will launch our new product, bioethanol – sugarcane based, cassava based. A lot of feedstock that can be used. Palm oil is for biodiesel, (and) sugarcane and cassava for ethanol,” Pertamina CEO Nicke Widyawati told a conference.

The company said last year that it aims to start a trial of hydrogen production in 2023 at a geothermal plant in Ulubelu on Sumatra island to produce 100 kg of hydrogen per day.

“Indonesia is blessed with huge potential of geothermal, around 27 GW (gigawatts), and now out of 27, less than 10 per cent is operated to become electricity,” Widyawati said.

“We have an ambitious target to double or triple the capacity in five to seven years. Not just for electricity but geothermal also to produce green hydrogen,” she told the conference, adding that hydrogen production has begun already. REUTERS

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