JAKARTA: The Indonesian government has assured motorists that B50 biodiesel, a fuel containing 50% palm oil, is safe for vehicles and will not damage engines, saying the higher biodiesel blend has undergone extensive testing before its nationwide rollout.
Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry spokesperson Dwi Anggia said the B50 programme was introduced only after comprehensive studies, technical trials and performance evaluations, Business Today reported.
“B50 is not a policy that was made overnight, nor is it a reckless leap forward. It is the result of a nearly two-decade journey in national biodiesel development,” she said in a statement issued in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Anggia said the government recognised public concerns about engine safety and had made the issue a priority well before launching the programme.
She said Indonesia’s biodiesel roadmap began in 2008 with a 2.5% biodiesel blend (B2.5). Since then, the blending mandate has been gradually increased through B10, B20, B30, B35 and B40, with each phase preceded by detailed technical testing and performance assessments.
For the B50 programme, which took effect on July 1, 2026, the ministry expanded testing in collaboration with industry stakeholders to ensure the fuel’s reliability across a wide range of applications.
The trials covered passenger vehicles, agricultural machinery, mining equipment, railways, marine transport and power plants.
According to the ministry, the results showed that B50 delivered better performance than the previous B40 blend, supporting the government’s decision to implement the higher biodiesel mandate.
