Indonesia conducts test flight using jet fuel mixed with palm oil

Indonesia conducted its first test flight using jet fuel partially from palm oil on Wednesday (Oct 6), a senior minister said, as the country plans to commercialise the fuel in a bid to seek creative ways to use the edible oil domestically.

The plane flew more than 100km from the capital Jakarta to neighbouring city Bandung.

“Indonesia, as the largest producer, of course needs to innovate the use of palm oil, including in the development of biodiesel, bio jet fuel and also continuing the D100 programme,” Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto told a virtual conference, referring to diesel made entirely from palm oil developed by state oil company Pertamina.

Indonesia currently has a mandatory biodiesel programme with 30 per cent palm oil content known as B30.

The government is keen to expand the use of the vegetable oil for energy and slash fuel imports.

The bio jet fuel used during the test flight contained only 2.4 per cent palm content, but in a 2015 regulation, Indonesia has a mandated this be increased to 5 per cent by 2025.

Although biodiesel promises significantly lower carbon emissions, the land clearance taking place to grow palm oil has raised concerns among environmentalists about deforestation, with the European Union looking into banning biodiesel containing palm.

The Energy Ministry on Wednesday said the bio jet fuel market, assuming a daily consumption of 14,000 kilolitres, will have a potential market worth 1.1 trillion rupiah (S$104.96 million) annually .

“We need 120,000 kilolitres (of palm oil) per year,” Mr Dadan Kusdiana, director-general of renewables at the Energy Ministry said, adding more research was needed into the commercialisation of the fuel.