Palm oil biofuel safe for cars and has lower emissions according to Indonesian road test

In Indonesia, Bloomberg reports that the government conducted the world’s longest road test using diesel blended with 30% palm oil, and the results showed that the biofuel is safe for cars. The test also showed that the SUVs fueled by 30% palm biofuel and 70% gasoil are more efficient and have lower emissions compared with when using 20% palm biodiesel, according to Dadan Kusdiana, the ministry’s head of research and development.

The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry told Bloomberg that they “sent a fleet of cars including Toyota Motor Corp.’s Fortuner, Mitsubishi Motors Corp.’s Pajero Sport and Nissan Motor Co.’s Terra on a road test on Java island. After driving for 42,000 kilometers (26,000 miles) over two months, the vehicles were fine with no major engine problems.”

President Joko Widodo is planning on increasing the mandatory blending requirement for 20% palm biofuel or B20 to B30 next year and B100 as early as 2021. Indonesia is the No. 1 producer of palm oil.