Biodiesel Blends Explained: What B10 to B60 Mean for Indonesia's Mandate

B10, B20, B30, B35, B40, B50, and now talk of B60 through B70: the labels appear constantly in Indonesian energy news, but the meaning is simple. The number after the letter "B" is the percentage of biodiesel (FAME) in the diesel fuel blend; the rest is fossil diesel. As of October 2026, B50 is mandatory in Indonesia and sold at all fuel stations.

How to read the "B" number

Label	Composition	Status in Indonesia
B10	10% FAME + 90% diesel	Mandatory from 1 September 2013 (ESDM Ministerial Regulation 25/2013)
B15	15% FAME + 85% diesel	Mandatory 2015 (ESDM Ministerial Regulation 12/2015)
B20	20% FAME + 80% diesel	2016 (extended to the non-PSO, or unsubsidised, sector in 2018)
B30	30% FAME + 70% diesel	January 2020
B35	35% FAME + 65% diesel	1 February 2023
B40	40% FAME + 60% diesel	1 January 2025
B50	50% FAME + 50% diesel	Mandatory since 1 July 2026; in force at all fuel stations since 1 October 2026
B60	60% biofuel + 40% diesel (composition not final)	2027 target, still under study
B70–B80	70–80% biofuel	Aspiration only, no roadmap
B100	100% FAME (pure biodiesel)	Not mandated

In 2020, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) recorded Indonesia as the first country to implement B30 nationwide. With B50, the share of biofuel in each litre of Biosolar (subsidised B50 diesel) is now equal to the share of fossil diesel.

B10: the start of acceleration

B10 was the phase in which the biodiesel mandate began to be genuinely accelerated. Under ESDM Ministerial Regulation No. 25 of 2013, the blend was raised to 10% from 1 September 2013, then to B15 in 2015. The main challenge at the time was the price gap between biodiesel and diesel, which was later addressed by the creation of the palm plantation fund (BPDPKS, now BPDP) in 2015. For more, see Two Decades of Indonesia's Biodiesel Mandate.

B50: what you need to know

• Legal basis. The B50 requirement is set out in ESDM Ministerial Decree (Kepmen) No. 257.K/EK.01/MEM.E/2026, issued on 17 June 2026 and effective from 1 July 2026. It sets a minimum 50% biodiesel blend for all types of diesel.
• Transition period. Companies still holding B40 stock were allowed to distribute it until 30 September 2026. From 1 October 2026, B50 applies in full at all fuel stations. The government nevertheless still describes 2026 as a transition year; according to ESDM Minister Bahlil Lahadalia, full implementation of B50 begins in January 2027 (Hukumonline, 9 July 2026).
• Official launch. President Prabowo Subianto formally launched the B50 programme on 9 July 2026 at the KM 57 Rest Area in Karawang, West Java.
• Specifications. Director General of Oil and Gas (Migas) Decision No. 75.K/MG.06/DJM/2026 sets two grades of B50, with a cetane number (CN) of 48 and CN 51. The sulphur limit for CN 48, currently 0.2% by mass, will be tightened to 0.005% (50 ppm) from 1 December 2027, while CN 51 is already limited to 0.005%.
• Volume. FAME demand for 2026 has been set in a range of about 16.7–18 million kilolitres (kL), up from the initial B40 allocation of 15.6 million kL.
• Price. The government has said the subsidised Biosolar price will stay at IDR 6,800 per litre.

B60: a 2027 target, composition still under study

At the B50 launch, President Prabowo asked that biodiesel research not stop at B50 and set B60 as a target. The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources has since been studying whether CPO supply and FAME production capacity are ready for B60 in 2027.

• Not just more FAME. One option under study is a blend of 50% FAME plus 10% hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO). HVO is chemically similar to fossil diesel and so can be blended more freely, but according to Eniya Listiani Dewi, Director General of New, Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation (EBTKE), it costs roughly 1.5–2 times as much as FAME.
• Specification challenge. Eniya said the main challenge for B60 lies in the FAME specification, and that the government will not rush while B50 is still being rolled out.
• Study timetable. The study of FAME requirements for B60 is expected to be completed in December 2026. The government will then set the blend parameters and the production volumes needed.
• Feedstock. The government is weighing whether new planting is needed or whether higher plantation productivity would suffice, an issue that overlaps with the proposal to use degraded land (in Indonesian).

B70, B80 and B100: still aspirations

At the B50 launch, President Prabowo said he wanted blending rates to keep rising: "if possible B60, if possible B70, B80". He also said he had at one point pushed for B100, but ministers judged that B50 alone already delivers large budget savings. As of October 2026, there is no regulation or dated official roadmap for B70, B80 or B100. These figures are best read as long-term policy direction, not a schedule.

Why do blending rates keep rising?

Each increase of five or ten percentage points means millions of kilolitres of imported diesel replaced by fuel made from domestic palm oil. The government says B50 is intended to end diesel imports. Increases are not made casually: each step is preceded by road tests on vehicles, heavy equipment, trains, ships and industrial engines to confirm safety and performance.

Is my engine safe?

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources reports that B50 road tests in the automotive sector showed safe results. Even so, users are advised to follow routine maintenance: drain water from tanks, check and replace fuel filters on schedule, and avoid storing fuel for too long. Biodiesel acts like a solvent, so at the start of the switch it can dislodge old deposits in the tank.