State-owned fertilizer producer PT Pupuk Indonesia plans to construct two methanol plants in two provinces by 2030 as part of the effort to support the government’s accelerated implementation of the B50 program.
President Director of PT Pupuk Indonesia, Rahmad Pribadi, said that mixing biofuel, especially palm oil, with fossil fuels to produce B50 requires methanol, which is currently imported.
“Pupuk Indonesia will develop the methanol industry to reduce methanol imports and support the B40 or B35 programs,” Rahmad said during the AZEC 2024 event on Wednesday, August 21, 2024.
Rahmad mentioned that the construction of the two plants, to be located in East Kalimantan and Nangroe Aceh Darussalam, is part of the company’s efforts to help the government achieve energy transition goals.
“This is Pupuk Indonesia’s support for a clean energy transition. The construction is expected to be completed by 2030 due to the time required for development,” he added.
Biodiesel production requires methanol to mix with fossil fuels through a two-step transesterification process. The transesterification process involves mixing potassium hydroxide (KOH) and methanol (CH3OH) with palm oil.
The first transesterification reaction takes about two hours at a temperature of 58-65°C. Initially, fatty acids are introduced into the reactor and heated to the specified temperature.
The transesterification reactor is equipped with heaters and stirrers. During heating, the stirrer is operated. Once the reactor reaches 63°C, a mixture of methanol and KOH is introduced, and the reaction time starts from this point.
At the end of the reaction, methyl ester is formed with a conversion rate of about 94 percent. The product is then allowed to settle for a certain period to separate glycerol and methyl ester.
Glycerol, which forms in the lower layer due to its higher density than methyl ester, is then removed from the reactor to avoid interference with the second transesterification process.
By establishing these plants, PT Pupuk Indonesia aims to bolster local methanol production, reduce dependency on imports, and support the country’s shift towards cleaner energy sources.
