APINDOSU VICE CHAIRMAN USLI SARSI : SUPPORT GOVERNMENT DETERMINATION TO DEVELOP NEW ENERGY
05 March 2024
The government's determination to bring Indonesia to energy self-sufficiency should be supported.
According to the Deputy Chairman of the Indonesian Employers Association (APINDO) of North Sumatra in charge of Agriculture and Plantations Usli Sarsi who is also the President Director of PT Mahkota Group Tbk, Indonesia can become the largest renewable energy producing country in the world because it is supported by vast agricultural and plantation land.
“The development of crop-based fuels, such as palm oil, sugar cane, and cassava, will be boosted by the government to realize this vision,” he said on Saturday (2/3).
By developing the agricultural and plantation sectors, Indonesia not only produces food but also produces energy, thus reducing Indonesia's dependence on fossil energy which is not environmentally friendly. In addition, agricultural land and plantations are very good for the environment because they produce oxygen as the lungs of the world.
Indonesia is currently the largest CPO producing country in the world. The CPO produced from oil palm plantations can be processed into biodiesel. With the gradual development of biodiesel in the next few years, Indonesia will be able to produce biodiesel fuel made entirely from palm oil. The utilization of biodiesel aims to stop the import of fuel from abroad.
“Currently, Indonesia has enacted a mandatory policy of using a diesel oil mixture with 35% palm oil or B35. Indonesia has also been able to make B100, meaning 100% palm biodiesel,” he said.
From oil palm plantations alone, Indonesia was able to achieve energy self-sufficiency in a relatively short period of time, setting an example for other countries in terms of transitioning to clean and sustainable energy.