Indonesia Can Be World's Bioenergy Center

JAKARTA, Apr 12 (Antara) - A senior researcher of the Institute of Technology Bandung (ITB) said that Indonesia with its natural resources and biodiversity could be a bioenergy center in the world. "We can excel in bioenergy and bio-fuel development and use," an ITB's senior researcher, Tatang Soerawidjaja, said here, Monday. Tatang explained Indonesia's natural resources can produce such fuels as diesel, gasoline, jet fuel which are environmentally friendly. He explained that biodiesel can be produced from castor beans, while bio-avtur (aviation turbine fuel) can be extracted from coconut oil, palm kernel oil, seed oil or cinnamon. According to him, there is no natural plant can directly produce gasoline with carbon compounds of C8. However, compounds produced from palm kernel oil or coconut oil can be broken down and used as C8 carbon. "A friend of mine made it. This fuel is made from broken palm oil named vegetal gasoline which an octant valued has reached 95, or almost as same as Pertamax," Tatang, who is also Chairman of the Association of Indonesian Bioenergy (IABI), said. Pertamax is an environmentally friendly fuel (unleaded) and high-octane produced by the Indonesian Oil and Gas Company, Pertamina. Tatang explained that the vegetal oil produced from palm kernel or coconut has a hydrocarbon chain which the end has carbon dioxide (CO2) . "The vegetal oil is actually hydrocarbons with CO2 at the end of the chain. Just put out the CO2 to make the oil becomes hydrocarbons. These materials have been provided by the Almighty God. We are the largest producer of palm oil that makes Europe envy to us," Tatang said. Hydrocarbons are the most favorable compounds to be environmentally friendly fuels, such as to replace petroleum-based jet fuel. The use of bio jet fuel from palm oil and palm kernel oil could reduce emissions resulting from the fuel burning by 70 percent, he added.