November 22, 2025 | 04:18 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Pertamina New & Renewable Energy (NRE) introduced an innovation of bioethanol made from palm sugar (aren) in Kamojang, Garut, West Java. The pilot project of Pertamina was officially launched by the Minister of Forestry, Raja Juli Antoni, on Wednesday, November 19, 2025.
This bioethanol innovation is developed from palm sugar managed by the Social Forestry Business Group (KUPS). Its production capacity reaches 300 liters of bioethanol per day and 300 to 500 kilograms of palm sugar per day.
Raja Juli said that using palm sugar is quite a strategic move. He stated that the global geopolitical situation is causing many countries to prioritize their domestic energy needs. Therefore, Indonesia must maximize its domestic energy sources. "Aren has great potential as a biofuel feedstock," said Raja Juli as quoted from a written statement on Saturday, November 22, 2025.
He said that the government is promoting the development of palm sugar as a renewable energy source. The Ministry of Forestry has formed an acceleration team through Ministerial Decree number 440 of 2025. He added that one hectare of palm sugar land can produce 24,000 liters of ethanol per year.
The vast potential land area for developing palm sugar reaches 125 million hectares. He said that if it is utilized optimally, the need for fuel imports can be reduced. The government also targets the planting of palm sugar on 1.2 million hectares of land with the potential to produce bioethanol up to 28.8 million kiloliters per year.
According to Raja Juli, this development must be paired with the mentoring of farmers to ensure that cultivation techniques and sap quality continue to improve. The Ministry of Forestry will provide training for palm sugar farmers in the area.
Pertamina NRE CEO John Anis referred to this project as a form of company innovation in the research and development of bioethanol multifeedstock. In addition to palm sugar, Pertamina also develops bioethanol based on sugarcane molasses, sorghum, cassava, corn, and agricultural waste such as empty oil palm fruit bunches and rice straw. This project is also developed in collaboration with the National Agency for Research and Innovation (BRIN).
In addition to strengthening energy security, using palm sugar creates local economic opportunities. This project is expected to increase the income of the Garut community and become a model for other areas with potential for palm sugar. Palm sugar can be grown on less productive land, which optimizes the use of marginal land.
Pertamina is preparing a roadmap for the development of palm sugar-based bioethanol. The initial stage will focus on laboratory testing, followed by road testing, pilot scale testing, commercial testing, and industrial expansion.
"We see the potential for energy crops in Indonesia as very large. With government support, energy self-sufficiency can be achieved through the utilization of local plants," said John.
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