PUBLIKASI

Biofuel (BBN) development in Indonesia has a long history, initiated by various research institutions since the 1990s before finally turning into a national strategic policy following the issuance of regulations in 2006. Over time, BBN has been integrated into energy transition strategies and national climate commitments, such as the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and the Long-Term Strategy on Low Carbon and Climate Resilience (LTS-LCCR 2050) documents, to achieve net-zero emissions. However, over time, the implementation of BBN in Indonesia has narrowed its focus; from initially planning a diversity of alternative feedstocks (such as jatropha curcas, cassava, and sugarcane), it has become heavily dominated by first-generation biodiesel made from crude palm oil (CPO). This narrowing was driven by ambitions to increase the energy mix, such as the B30 Program, which gradually shifted the BBN discourse to a mechanism for absorbing the surplus domestic CPO supply.

Although generally perceived positively by the public as a renewable energy, the development of palm oil-based biofuels has created significant dilemmas at the national and international levels, encompassing ecological, economic, and social aspects. Ecologically, the conversion of natural forest land and the drainage of peatlands in the production process actually produce greenhouse gas emissions that are far greater than the efficiency of reducing emissions from engine exhaust emissions. From an economic perspective, the program's orientation is seen as shifting from its original goal of poverty alleviation to merely market engineering for the large-scale palm oil industry. Meanwhile, from a social perspective, the supply chain remains plagued by land conflicts, human rights violations, and weak traceability principles. Therefore, the government is deemed necessary to formulate and update the national biofuel policy implementation roadmap to improve governance that balances energy security with environmental and social sustainability.