Auto Industry Not Ready Yet for Biodiesel: Gaikindo

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The country’s automotive industry is not yet prepared for the government’s regulation ordering the mandatory mix of 15 percent biodiesel (B15) for its diesel fuel product, locally known as Solar, according to the Association of the Indonesian Automotive Manufacturers (Gaikindo).

Gaikindo chairman Johnny Darmawan said it would take the industry some time for the necessary adjustments. “There is a valve component on the car engine that needs to be replaced. It will take a while,” he told Tempo on Sunday, April 5, 2015.

Johnny, however, said he was optimistic the regulation was viable. “We as manufacturers are basically supportive of this regulation.”

Teguh Trihono, the general manager of external affairs of Toyota Manufacturing Indonesia (TMMIN), echoed Johnny’s statement, saying the Japanese carmaker did not see any problem making adjustments to their new cars’ engines to suit the biodiesel-mixed Solar.

However, he added, Toyota would need extra time to disseminate this information to the owners of old Toyota cars. “They should be notified to get the necessary components,” he said, explaining he was worried that problems would surface otherwise.

Teguh said Toyota had tried running their engines on the biodiesel mix up to the level of 20 percent, and found that among the characteristics of the biodiesel was that it was dissolving dirt—causing engines more susceptible to crusts. 

PINGIT ARIA