RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - President Prabowo Subianto has set a target to build ethanol plants to support the development of ethanol-blended gasoline, or E10.

He said Indonesia is now capable of producing bioethanol as a blending component for gasoline.

“We’ve started to be able to produce E10. So, gasoline can be blended with 10 percent ethanol,” President Prabowo said during his remarks at a harvest festival in Malang, East Java, on Friday, July 17, 2026.

To support this effort, the President has set a target of building at least 30 ethanol plants nationwide. “If necessary, up to 50 plants will be built,” he added.

Currently, Indonesia has only one ethanol plant. The government is committed to expanding production facilities to strengthen the development of bioethanol-based fuel.

President Prabowo also urged officials to develop pure ethanol-based fuel, or E100, noting that Indonesia has the potential to follow other countries that have already advanced in ethanol fuel production.

“Earlier, officials mentioned that we could reach E20 -- India is already at E20, and Brazil is already at E100. Why can’t Indonesia do it? Indonesia can, right?” he said.

The President highlighted Indonesia’s success in developing biodiesel derived primarily from palm oil, known as B50, which was recently launched in Karawang, West Java.

Following this achievement, Indonesia has decided to stop importing diesel. “Those funds should remain circulating in Indonesia and benefit palm oil farmers across the country,” he said.

President Prabowo also pointed to another milestone in the pursuit of energy self-sufficiency: the reactivation of the Abadi Masela Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) project in Maluku. He symbolically inaugurated the groundbreaking ceremony for this national strategic project.

“Yesterday, we successfully began production and construction on one of the largest gas blocks in our region. After 28 years of being stalled, we’ve brought it back to life,” he said. (Gusti Panji)