Indonesia plans to turn coal into gasoline to cut fuel imports

At an event marking 100 years of the Darussalam Gontor Islamic Boarding School, President Prabowo Subianto outlined a new fuel strategy that includes synthesizing gasoline from coal. He highlighted earlier successes where university engineering faculties produced diesel from crude palm oil, using that achievement as a foundation for the coal project. Prabowo noted that Indonesia stopped importing diesel on July 1, 2026, because domestic output now satisfies national needs.

He argued that developing fuels from local resources is crucial amid global uncertainty. The plan is presented as a step toward greater energy independence and reduced reliance on foreign suppliers.