Learn about ethanol in fuel, its functions and impacts

Jakarta (ANTARA) – In a bid to reduce carbon emissions and reduce dependence on imported fuel oil (BBM), President Prabowo has approved the use of fuel blended with 10% ethanol or E10.

This policy was conveyed by Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Bahlil Lahadalia in a press conference held in Jakarta, Tuesday (7/10).

Ethanol or ethyl alcohol (C2H5OH) is a liquid organic compound widely used in various industrial sectors. In the energy sector, ethanol serves as an alternative fuel that can replace gasoline because it is more environmentally friendly.

Ethanol can be converted into bioethanol or a form of renewable energy produced from agricultural raw materials using a fermentation process, such as corn, sugarcane, straw, palm oil, cassava, cereals, wheat and others.

When ethanol is mixed with gasoline, the octane rating and combustion efficiency will increase. This mixture helps the engine run cleaner by reducing emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other polluting particles.

Therefore, this blend of ethanol and gasoline is considered a more environmentally friendly fuel solution than fossil fuels.

Currently, Indonesia has one fuel product that contains ethanol, namely Pertamax Green 95, produced by Pertamina. This product uses sugarcane molasses as a raw material and is included in the E5 category, with an ethanol content of 5%.

Through Regulation Number 12 of 2015 from the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, the government aims to use E5 fuel blend by 2020 and increase to E20 by 2025.

Director General of New Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation (EBTKE), Eniya Listiani Dewi, explained that vehicles in Indonesia are generally compatible to use fuel with a blend of up to 20% ethanol. However, the availability of raw materials for ethanol is still a matter of preparation, so the government can only implement the E5 blend.

Meanwhile, in numerous other countries, ethanol content in fuel is widely used. As in the United States, the ethanol content in fuel has reached 10%. In Brazil, most vehicles already use E25 fuel.

Read also: Gaikindo supports government plan to implement E10 fuel

Function of ethanol in fuel

Ethanol plays an important role in improving fuel quality. Below are some of the functions of ethanol in fuel:

Ethanol can increase the octane number, so that combustion can be more complete.
Ethanol can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 41.46 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2eq) and other polluting particles, making it more environmentally friendly.
Ethanol is made from biomass, such as corn, sugarcane and others, so it can make Indonesia more independent in the energy sector and ultimately reduce the level of fuel imports.
Capable of promoting the energy transition, so that it becomes a step forward zero net emissions.

Impact of ethanol on fuel

1. Reduce levels of harmful gas emissions

One third of the mass of ethanol is oxygen. The oxygen content in ethanol helps it burn more completely, which reduces dangerous exhaust gases such as carbon monoxide (CO) and unburned hydrocarbons (HC).

The effect is to make the air freer of pollution. Ethanol is a solution so that vehicle-dense urban air can be cleaner from this pollution.

2. The machine is safer than knock

Machines can be safer than knock due to the high octane number. Octane is a measure of a fuel’s resistance to knockAND knock it is a premature explosion in the combustion chamber that can cause engine damage.

In general, ordinary gasoline has a research octane number (RON) of between 91 and 100. Meanwhile, ethanol has a RON of up to 110.

Read also: Expert: E10 implementation has no impact on EV sales

3. Stable engine performance

Vehicles using fuel blended with ethanol can still enjoy stable performance. It is known that the ethanol blend contained in E10-E30 is capable of achieving an ideal balance, starting from power, engine, to fuel efficiency.

4. Environmentally friendly renewable energy

Because it comes from biomass such as sugarcane and cassava, ethanol is a renewable energy that can be continuously produced. In addition to reducing carbon emissions, this sector also has the potential to open up new jobs in plantations and processing industries.

The government estimates that the use of ethanol in fuel could also save foreign exchange up to 40.7 billion US dollars (about 673 trillion rupees) over the period 2020-2025.

With this new policy, Indonesia is expected to become more independent in energy supply, while accelerating the transition to clean and sustainable energy sources

Read also: Experts appreciate E10’s strategic steps to strengthen national energy independence

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