Indonesia sets sights on E15 but held back by ethanol feedstock limitations

In Indonesia, Reuters reports that Indonesia is aiming to introduce a 5% ethanol blending trial in East Java this year with an eye on a 15% blending mandate by 2031 to reduce its $17 billion per year gasoline import bill, but it is seriously limited by lack of feedstock. The country currently has two ethanol plants using sugarcane molasses as feedstock that are often short of feedstock due to the lack of domestic sugar production. As such, the country is exploring the use of other feedstocks such as cassava or even palm tree sap.