Pertamina Produced Maiden Batch of 100% Palm Green Diesel (D100)

Jakarta — Indonesia's state energy company PT Pertamina has successfully produced green diesel (D100) made entirely from palm oil at its Dumai refinery in Riau, at a rate of 1,000 barrels per day. The milestone followed a production trial processing 100 percent refined, bleached and deodorized palm oil (RBDPO) on 2–9 July 2020, and a 200-kilometre road test on 14 July 2020.

D100 is a biohydrocarbon diesel produced by processing palm oil directly inside a refinery, unlike FAME biodiesel which is blended into regular diesel. According to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), D100 was produced for the first time at the Dumai refinery and has a cetane number of up to 79.

A third production trial

The trial processing 100 percent RBDPO on 2–9 July 2020 was the third stage after Pertamina previously processed RBDPO through co-processing at up to 7.5 percent and 12.5 percent. The Dumai run used the Merah Putih (Red and White) catalyst developed by Pertamina's Research & Technology Centre together with the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB).

Pertamina CEO Nicke Widyawati said the trial showed the refinery and catalysts were ready. "Next, we have to think how to make the economic side work too," Nicke said, as quoted by Reuters on 15 July 2020.

Road test and laboratory results

The D100 performance test was carried out on 14 July 2020 over 200 kilometres using a 2017 diesel MPV. The fuel tested was a blend of 20 percent D100, 50 percent Dexlite and 30 percent FAME. Kilang Pertamina Internasional deputy CEO Budi Santoso Syarif said laboratory results showed a minimum cetane number of 60 for the blend, higher than the diesel fuel currently on the market.

Vehicle emissions also improved, with exhaust opacity falling to 1.7 percent from 2.6 percent without D100. Drivers reported no excessive noise, more responsive acceleration and clean exhaust even at high engine speed, according to Budi.

Merah Putih catalyst and green fuel plans

The government, through ESDM, is promoting palm-based green fuel development through both co-processing at existing refineries and the construction of dedicated standalone refineries. Beyond D100, the development path includes green gasoline (G100) and green jet avtur (J100) based on crude palm oil (CPO).

Pertamina also plans to build a green diesel unit at its Plaju refinery with a capacity of 20,000 barrels per day. Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita, who rode in a D100-fuelled car in Dumai on 15 July 2020, said the achievement is in line with President Joko Widodo's direction to make the most of domestic palm oil while improving smallholder welfare.

Background on Indonesia's biodiesel policy is available on the biodiesel regulations and glossary pages.