TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo or Jokowi said that he was informed that palm oil could be processed into avtur or jet fuel, thus he ordered related ministries to conduct a thorough study on the possibility.

“Please, research this comprehensively,” said the President during a limited meeting on the evaluation of the implementation of Biodiesel at the Presidential Office, State Palace, Jakarta, Monday, August 12.

According to the President, the conversion of palm oil into avtur could highly affect Indonesia’s economy. “[It will] reduce avtur imports, so it will overcome deficits in trade and current account balances,” he underlined.

Additionally, the former governor of Jakarta expected Indonesia to implement a policy of the mandatory use of B30, a 30 percent biofuel mixed-use, early next year in a bid to lessen dependency on fossil fuel imports.

“I want B20 to be diverted to B30 in January 2020, then to B50 at the end of 2020,” the President said.

Jokowi further reiterated that Indonesia could save up to US$5.5 billion per year from the consistent implementation of the B20 mandatory policy, which is currently progressing. The number will likely raise in line with the increasing use of biodiesel.

AHMAD FAIZ | CAESAR AKBAR