Category: Surveys

Berkunjung ke Fri-El Acerra, Pembangkit Listrik CPO di Napoli (Italia)

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Di Italia, ada sebuah perusahaan yang sukses mengoperasikan pembangkit listrik bertenaga CPO (minyak sawit). Perusahaan ini bagian dari Fri-El Group. Menteri ESDM Ignasius Jonan mengunjungi pembangkit listrik ini sebagai salah satu agenda kunjungannya ke Italia.

Fri El Green Power Group yang sudah berdiri 20 tahun ini memang memiliki sejumlah pembangkit listrik yang menggunakan energi baru terbarukan (renewable energy). Ada dari biogas, hydro, maupun biomass. Perusahaan yang mengoperasikan pembangkit listrik biomass berbasis CPO adalah Fri-El Acerra.

Pembangkit listrik Fri-El Acerra ini berada di pinggiran Napoli dan sudah beroperasi sejak akhir Desember 2008. Pada 2011, sebanyak 50 persen saham Fri-El Acerra dimiliki oleh Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food. Sinar Mas juga yang mengoperasikan pembangkit listrik CPO ini.

Selama dua jam, Jonan beserta rombongan melihat dari dekat bagaimana pembangkit listrik CPO ini beroperasi, Kamis (8/11) dari pukul 12.00 hingga pukul 14.00. Dalam kunjungan ini, Jonan didampingi sejumlah pejabat ESDM, pejabat SKK Migas, direksi PLN, direksi Pertamina, pengusaha di bidang energi dan perusahaan produsen sawit, seperti Sinar Mas Group, Wilmar, dan Triputra. Hadir juga Duta Besar RI untuk Italia Esty Andayani. Mereka diterima oleh Cristian Banfi (Direktur Orange Capital/Sinar Mas), Giuseppe Augello (Power Plant Manager), dan Paolo Giardino (Chief Financial Officer).

Sebelum melihat dari dekat pembangkit listrik Fri-El Acerra, Jonan dan rombongan mendapat penjelasan dari pimpinan Fri-El Acerra mengenai energi baru terbarukan di Italia dan seluk beluk Fri El. Dalam paparannya, Cristian menjelaskan bahwa selama 2017, sebanyak 34 persen kebutuhan listrik Italia sudah di-cover oleh energi baru terbarukan. Target Italia pada 2020 sebagai negara ketiga terbesar di Uni Eropa yang menggunakan bioenergi sebagai sumber pembangkit listrik juga sudah tercapat saat ini. Pemerintah Italia juga telah menargetkan pada 2030 kebutuhan listrik akan dipasok 55 persen dari energi baru terbarukan.

Dalam merealisasikan pembangkit listrik dari energi baru terbarukan, Pemerintah Italia memberikan beberapa skema insentif yang variatif dan sangat ekonomis untuk produsen. Selain itu, produsen juga diprioritaskan untuk menjual produknya ke jaringan litsrik nasional. “Jadi, tidak ada risiko bahwa listrik dari energi baru terbarukan yang diproduksi tidak akan terjual,” kata Cristian Banfi.

Di Italia ada sekitar 300 pembangkit listrik berbahan minyak nabati, yang memiliki kapasitas total mencapai 1 GW (Giga Watt). Saat ini, Fri-El Acerra Power Plant merupakan pembangkit listrik dari minyak nabati cair terbesar di Italia, bahkan di dunia.

Kapasitas Fri-El Acerra sebesar 74,8 MW, yang terdiri dari Artsilla 4x 17,1 MW dan Trivene 1×6,5 MW. Produksi bersih listrik Fri-El Acerra sebesar 600 ribu MW per tahun, yang ekuivalen digunakan sekitar 40 ribu konsumen rumah tangga.
Untuk operasinya, Fri-El Acerra membutuhkan sekitar 125.000 ton CPO selama 1 tahun, dengan asumsi beban puncak. Semua kebutuhan CPO dipasok Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food langsung dari Indonesia.

Pimpinan Fri-El juga menjelaskan bagaimana proses produksi listrik berbahan CPO ini.
  
Setelah mendapat penjelasan dari pimpinan Fri-El Acerra, Jonan dan rombongan meninjau ruang kontrol pengoperasian pembangkit listrik ini. Dari ruang kontrol ini, dapat dimonitor berapa banyak produksi listrik yang dihasilkan dan berapa banyak yang didistribusikan. Dari ruang ini juga diketahui bagaimana mesin-mesin dan turbin berjalan baik atau tidak.
Jonan juga melihat dari dekat mesin diesel yang membakar CPO dan mengubah menjadi energi listrik. Jonan juga melihat beberapa instalasi lain dalam pembangkit listrik Fri-El Acerra.

Lawatan Jonan dan rombongan ke Fri-El Acerra ini terkait keinginan Indonesia untuk memanfaatkan CPO untuk pembangkit listrik dengan lebih besar. Saat ini, pemerintah Indonesia sudah membangun pilot project pembangkit listrik berbahan CPO di Belitung, namun hanya kapasitas kecil, sebesar 5 MW. Pemanfaatan CPO ini merupakn bagian dari komitmen pemerintah untuk meningkatkan bauran energi dari energi baru terbarukan sebanyak 23 persen pada tahun 2025.

source: www.kumparan.com

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The Decreasing Competitiveness of Indonesian Palm Oil

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Indonesia and Malaysia are known as the largest palm oil producers in the world. In the context of the world market of palm oil, the palm oil trade policy between the two countries are significantly determine the competitiveness of palm oil on the world market.

The difference policy of the two countries is the existence of export levies in Indonesia while Malaysia does not implement the policy. The competitiveness of Indonesian palm oil is experiencing a decline of 24.19 percent in China, 13.03 percent in Europe, and a significant decline occurred in the Indian market by 64.29 percent due to the increase in import taxes imposed by India. Malaysia also experienced a decline in competitiveness of 20.76 percent in China, 60.78 percent in India, and 10.36 percent in the European Union.

This condition indicates that policy Indonesia’s international trade is unable to maintain or even increase the competitiveness of Indonesian palm oil. The existence of an export levy policy is a disincentive for palm oil exports. Export tax policy and Indonesian palm oil export levies should consider the condition of the exchange rate of the Rupiah against the currency destination countries and the palm oil import tariff policy imposed by the destination country Indonesian exports.

Besides that, the paradigm of international palm oil trade policy should be changed from the old paradigm that made export tax an instrument increasing government revenues, to the new paradigm that makes export taxes as an instrument to maintain export competitiveness.

source: http://paspimonitor.or.id/monitor-vol-iv-no-42-penurunan-daya-saing-minyak-sawit-indonesia-2/

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European Union is at a Great Loss if They Boycott Palm Oil

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“If the EU limits or boycotts palm oil, the EU loses at least 8 billion Euros per year and encourages deforestation of about 14 million hectares in South America”

EU countries in recent years have intensively attacked palm oil in various ways. Some countries such as France have openly planned to boycott the palm oil by charging unreasonable import tariffs. Many countries also secretly support the movement of palm oil free labeling. In fact, many are donating anti-oil palm organizations operating in Indonesia. It seems that the anti-Indonesian NGOs have succeeded in deceiving the public and the EU government.

However, not everyone in the EU is like that. There are still many realistic people, especially the intellectuals and statesmen. This rational and realistic group has data, or has seen comprehensively how the reality of oil palm plantations is. They even understand the benefits of palm oil import for the EU and the consequences if the EU limits, let alone, boycotts palm oil for the EU itself.

The EU imports more than 6 million tons of palm oil annually. According to a European Economic (2014) study, palm oil coming into the EU is about 60 percent used for food, cosmetic / pharmaceutical ingredients, oleochemical industry; and 40 percent for energy (biodiesel and power generation).

From the economic point of view, EU palm oil imports annually create the “economy cakes” for EU governments and their communities. The “economic cake” in the form of community income (GDP) is about 5.7 billion euro, the EU government receives tax income of about 2.6 billion euro and employs the EU population of 117 thousand people. The five largest EU countries enjoy the “economic cake” of imported palm oil are Italy, Spain, Germany, Holland and France.

Well, if the EU government limits or even boycotts the import of palm oil to the EU, then the “economic cake” created by palm oil will be reduced or even lost. EU community revenues involved in the palm oil economy in the EU will be lost, government’s revenue is reduced, unemployment will increase and there will be energy shortage in the EU.

The problem does not stop there. If 6 million tons of CPO does not enter the EU, then the production of rapeseed oil or sunflower seed oil should be increased to compensate the shortage. The area of ​​rapeseed and sunflower plantations in the EU should be expanded for about 14 million hectares. Then other agricultural areas should be converted into vegetable oil plantations. If this is the case, then the EU community will be faced with food shortages or inflation, or the expansion of new agricultural land; that translates into massive deforestation in the EU.

Perhaps the EU government thinks like an EU football management that imports many footballers from South America. The replacement of CPO imports is covered with larger imports of soybean oil from Brazil, Argentina, and other countries. Of course it’s fine. But with the increased imports of soybeans from South America will boost up deforestation of at least 14 million hectares of land for additional soybean plantation expansion.

EU society doesn’t seem to have so many choices to maintain its prosperity. Unfortunately, the most efficient supply of vegetable oil comes from palm oil. The paradigm of the EU community and its government may need to change to see palm oil in a different perspective. The people and government of the EU need a new way of looking at palm oil as oil palm plantation is God’s gift to EU welfare through Indonesia.

Source: indonesiakita.or.id

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Multi Manfaat dari Perluasan Mandatori Biodiesel

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Pemerintah terhitung sejak tanggal 1 September 2018 mengambil langkah strategis melalui perluasan mandatori biodiesel yakni pencampuran wajib 20 persen biodiesel sawit pada konsumsi seluruh  jenis solar/diesel di Indonesia baik PSO maupun non PSO.  Kebijakan tersebut melanjutkan B20 sektor PSO yang sudah dimulai sejak tahun 2016 lalu. Dengan perluasan B20 tersebut maka semua jenis bahan bakar diesel harus mengandung 20 persen biodiesel sawit.

Kebijakan perluasan B20 tersebut dinilai sangat strategis dan memberi berbagai manfaat baik manfaat ekonomi, sosial maupun lingkungan. Dari segi ekonomi, pencampuran biodiesel sawit dalam konsumsi solar nasional berdampak langsung pada pengurangan impor solar.  Tahun 2018 ini konsumsi total solar/diesel di Indonesia mencapai sekitar 38 juta k.l sehingga dengan mencampur 20 persen biodisel kita menghemat impor solar sebesar 7.6 juta k.l per tahun. Dengan harga diesel rata-rata dunia USD 1.4 per liter, maka penghematan devisa impor solar bisa  mencapai  USD 10.6 milyar per tahun. Jelas devisa sebesar ini dapat memperbaiki neraca perdagangan migas nasional yang selalu defisit.

Pencampuran solar impor dengan biodiesel sawit domestik merupakan suatu kebijakan subsitusi impor energi untuk memperkuat ketahanan energi nasional. Penggunaan biodiesel sawit yang bersifat dapat diperbaharui (renewable energy) sebagai pengganti energi diesel yang tidak dapat diperbaharui (non renewable energy) merupakan langkah tepat untuk membangun ketahanan energi nasional yang berkelanjutan.

Kebijakan subsitusi solar impor dengan biodiesel sawit juga memperkuat basis pasar minyak sawit domestik. Sebagai produsen minyak sawit terbesar dunia, basis pasar minyak sawit domestik perlu ditumbuhkan secara berkesinambungan agar Indonesia dapat menjadi pemimpin pasar minyak sawit dunia dan tidak tergantung pada pasar negara tertentu.

Dari sisi sosial, bahan baku biodiesel sawit yakni CPO dihasilkan oleh kebun  sawit  pada 200 kabupaten pelosok di Indonesia, dimana sekitar 42 persen adalah sawit rakyat. Berbagai riset membuktikan bahwa perkebunan sawit berperan penting bagi pertumbuhan ekonomi daerah, penciptaan lapangan kerja, peningkatan pendapatan dan pengurangan kemiskinan. Peningkatan penggunaan minyak sawit sebagai bahan bakar (biodiesel) akan menggerek harga TBS petani sawit  pada 200 kabupaten sentra sawit sehingga meningkatkan gairah petani untuk meningkatkan produktivitas  serta  juga akan memperbesar peranan sosial ekonomi tersebut.

Manfaat yang tak kalah pentingnya adalah perluasan B20 tersebut juga menghasilkan manfaat jasa lingkungan berupa pengurangan emisi karbon nasional. Sebagiamana diketahui bahwa subsitusi solar dengan biodiesel sawit akan mengurangi 60 persen emisi mesin-mesin diesel. Perluasan B20 akan mengurangi emisi karbon nasional sebesar 11.4 juta ton per tahun.

Banyak manfaat yang dinikmati Indonesia dengan perluasan B20 tersebut. Oleh karena itu, perluasan B20 tersebut perlu didukung semua pihak untuk memastikan keberhasilannya.

sumber: sawit.org.id

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How big the land use of Oil Palm plantations in Indonesia?

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Myth

Oil palm plantations are the main trigger for conversion of forests to non-forests in Indonesia.

Fact

Conversion of forests into non-forest areas (deforestation) is a normal phenomenon development that happens in every country all over the world. In the European region, deforestation took place before the 17th century while in the United States it lasted from 1620 until 1950.

No country in the world, including Indonesia, prohibits deforestation and each country sets its own rules and procedures for deforestation. Conversion of forest into non- forest is one of the ways to meet demand for space for development. Demand for space continues to rise in line with the growth of population and expansion of development in all sectors to improve the welfare of the people. Is there any land on Earth that has never been covered by forests?

In Indonesia conversion of forest into non-forest has taken place for a long time in line with the need for space for development. Deforestation in Indonesia cannot be separated from the logging era, which resulted in neglected and degraded land that was later used by the government for the development of transmigration areas or for extending agriculture and plantations. Expansion of oil palm plantations came later by utilizing logged areas, which had been converted by the government into cultivation areas.

Discussing the history of deforestation, Koh and Wilcove (2008) mentioned that 67 percent of oil palm plantations are on areas converted from forest. However, a study by Gunarso et al (2012) made a different conclusion from the accusation made by Koh and Wilcove. They concluded the land for oil palm development in Indonesia was mostly originally farmland and degraded land and some was converted from secondary forest (Casson 2000; McMorrow & Talip 2001; Gunarso et al, 2012). The massive logging era before 1990 left neglected areas and ghost towns. The development of oil palm plantations only started later, especially after 2000.

An analysis of the history of the conversion of forest into non-forest areas shows that the expansion of oil palm plantations is not the main driver (Figure 7.1)

In 1950 there was 162.3 million ha of forested land in Indonesia. From 1950 to 1985 the conversion of forest into non- forest areas reached 68.1 million ha, while expansion of oil palm plantation in the same period was only about 0.6 million ha, 0.9 percent. Then, total conversion of forest into non-forest areas until 2000 reached 84.4 million hectares, so that the forest areas declined to 103.3 million ha. Meanwhile, oil palm plantation areas expanded to only 4.2 million ha.

In other words, from 1950 to 2014, conversion of forest into non-forest areas in Indonesia accumulatively totaled 99.6 million hectares, compared to 10.8 million ha of oil palm plantation areas developed during the period. This data shows that out of 99.6 million ha of forests converted into non-forest areas, oil palm plantation areas in Indonesia were relatively small, growing by 10.8 percent only. Therefore, oil palm cultivation is not the main driver of deforestation in Indonesia.

Myth

Oil palm plantations are the main trigger for conversion of forests to non-forests in Indonesian Islands.

Fact

Fact in Sumatra Island

Sumatra Island is where the early development of oil palm plantations took place. It is also where major development of Indonesian oil palm plantations has continued to take place. According to 2015 data from the Agriculture Ministry, about 63 percent of the national oil palm plantation areas are on Sumatra. Are oil palm plantations the chief trigger of conversion of forest into non-forest areas on Sumatra Island?

In 1950 there were 37.4 million ha of forest areas on Sumatra. From 1950 to 1985 the conversion of forest into non- forest areas reached 23.8 million ha (Figure 7.2). Meanwhile, the expansion of oil palm plantations in the same period took up only 0.5 million ha, 2.3 percent. Total conversion of forests into non-forest areas increased to 31.6 million hectares by the year 2000. However, the oil palm plantation areas increased only to 2.7 million hectares, 8.6 percent.

In other words, from 1950 to 2014 the conversion of forest into non-forest areas on Sumatra Island reached 34.2 million ha, while those earmarked for oil palm plantation development on Sumatra Island in the corresponding period were 6.8 million ha, only 19.9 percent of the total conversion area.

Therefore, oil palm plantations are not the main trigger of the conversion of forest into non-forest areas on Sumatra Island. About 80 percent of forest conversion areas are used for purposes other than oil palm plantations.

Fact in Kalimantan Island

Kalimantan province on Borneo Island has become a center of the world’s attention on issues of forest conservation. The world’s attention on Borneo Island has been rising since the island constitutes an area of Indonesian oil palm development. Therefore, perception has been built up that the expansion of oil palm plantations has become the main trigger of the reduction of forest areas in Kalimantan.

Data of the history of conversion shows that in 1950 there were 51.4 million ha of forest areas in Kalimantan. From 1950 to 1985, the conversion of forests into non-forests areas reached 13.1 million hectares (Figure 7.3). Meanwhile, in the same period, oil palm plantations reached only 0.04 million hectares, 0.1 percent of the total forest conversion on the island.

Conversion of forests into non-forests increased to 20.2 million hectares by the year 2000, while oil palm plantation development reached only 0.8 million ha, 3 percent of the total forest conversion areas.

In other words, from 1950 to 2014, total conversion of forests into non-forest areas in Kalimantan reached 27.4 million hectares, while the oil palm plantation areas in Kalimantan covered only 3.4 million ha, 13 percent of the total forest conversion areas.

Therefore, the perception that oil palm plantations have become the main trigger of the conversion of forests into non- forests is not supported by data.

Fact in Sulawesi Island

Sulawesi Island is actually not a major oil palm plantation center in Indonesia. The oil palm plantations on the island only covered 0.37 million hectares in 2015, only about 3 percent of the national oil palm plantation areas. The development of oil palm plantations on Sulawesi took place only after the era of logging on the island.

In 1950 there were 17.0 million ha of forest areas on Sulawesi. From 1950 to 1985, conversion of forests into non- forest areas reached 7.2 million ha (Figure 7.4), while oil palm plantations only covered 5,000 ha, 0.07 percent of the forest conversion areas.

Total conversion of forests into non-forest areas reached 7.8 million hectares by the year 2000, while the oil palm plantation areas increased only by 100,000 ha, 1.4 percent of the total conversion areas.

In other words, from 1950 to 2014, the accumulated area of forest converted into non-forests on Sulawesi reached 9.9 million ha, while the oil palm plantation areas on Sulawesi in the same period were only 400,000 ha, 3.5 percent of the total conversion accumulation. So the oil palm plantations are not the main trigger of the conversion of forests into non-forests on Sulawesi Island.

Source: The Myths versus Facts by PASPI

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What are you making with Nutella on this #WorldNutellaDay?

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