Enviro News Asia, Malang — Pertamina New & Renewable Energy (Pertamina NRE) highlighted its bioethanol development initiatives during the TNI Harvest Festival at Abdulrachman Saleh Air Force Base in Malang, East Java, on Friday (July 17). The initiative promotes bioethanol as a low-carbon energy solution while supporting Indonesia’s energy security and agricultural development.
Pertamina NRE President Director John Anis presented the company’s bioethanol ecosystem and development strategy to President Prabowo Subianto during the President’s visit to the company’s exhibition booth. The presentation covered the use of sugarcane molasses as a feedstock, the implementation of E5 bioethanol through Pertamax Green 95, and the company’s long-term strategy to increase bioethanol blending, including its E20 vision.
“Pertamina NRE’s participation in the TNI Harvest Festival reflects our commitment to contributing to the development of Indonesia’s bioenergy sector,” John Anis said. He emphasized that bioethanol produced from sugar industry by-products, particularly sugarcane molasses, could create added economic value while supporting the country’s transition toward lower-carbon energy.
Pertamina NRE is also pursuing a multi-feedstock approach involving palm sap, cassava, corn, and sorghum. The strategy is designed to enable different regions to develop bioethanol ecosystems based on their local agricultural potential while creating opportunities for farmers and communities.
The company is developing an integrated end-to-end bioethanol plant in East Java in collaboration with PT Sinergi Gula Nusantara (SGN). The project entered the groundbreaking stage in February 2026 and forms part of Pertamina NRE’s broader multi-feedstock, multi-generation, and multi-region strategy for strengthening domestic bioethanol supply.
The development of domestic bioethanol is aligned with Indonesia’s efforts to strengthen energy security by maximizing national resources and reducing dependence on imported energy. The government has identified energy self-sufficiency as an important national objective.
President Prabowo Subianto stressed the importance of developing Indonesia’s domestic capabilities and resources to achieve greater energy independence. He said Indonesia must continue utilizing its own potential so that the country’s natural wealth can provide broader benefits to its people.
Through its bioethanol program, Pertamina NRE aims to contribute to Indonesia’s energy transition, support national decarbonization targets, and generate economic opportunities in regions with agricultural feedstock potential. The company sees the development of locally sourced bioethanol as an important component of Indonesia’s long-term energy security strategy. (*)
