Pertamina to launch E5 with domestic sugarcane ethanol this month

In Indonesia, the Jakarta Post newspaper reports that Pertamina will launch its E5 blend this month using ethanol produced from domestic sugarcane. In the future, the company hopes to use corn and cassava as ethanol feedstock as well. The country has been wanting to introduce ethanol blending as it is a leader in biodiesel blending globally but its sugarcane industry has been suffering with attempts over many years to become self-sufficient but has not yet become so. As a result, its ethanol production is behind others in the region such as Thailand.