Berita

SUKABUMI. The government keeps on trying to find solution of alternative fuel because of decreasing reserves, subsidy burden state budget and also for energy security. Besidies replacing oil fuel (BBM) with gas fuel (BBG), the government tries to find other alternative by diverting BBM consumption with biofuel (BBN). A series of names appear as alternative such as jarak pagar (Jatropha curcas L., Euphorbiaceae), nyamplung (Calophyllum inophyllum) and kemiri sunan (Aleurites Trisperma).

Of three alternatives, kemiri sunan has fuel oil content for biodiesel fuel, which is better and more economical. Based on notes of Spice Plants and Various Industrial Plants Research Center, the seed endosperm of the plan contains oil, which could be processed becoming alternative oil for diesel oil or biodiesel by its oil composition consist of palmitat acid 10 %, stearic acid 9 %, oleic acid 12 %, linoleic acid 19 %, and a-elaeostearat acid 51 %.

“Kemiri becomes alternative to decrease dependency towards BBM, to decrease the consumption of BBM. I think BBM has to be decreased as much as possible because if we do not consume BBM, principally we do not need to decrease BBM subsidy. It will automatically decrease the subsidy,” says Vice Minister of EMR in his visit to Spice Plants and Various Industrial Plants Research Center (Balittri), Parungkudu, Sukabumi, West Java, Saturday (28/01/2012).

Kemiri sunan could be conservation plants, including in post-mining reclamation lands because kemiri sunan does not need much water (suitable for critical land) and very lush then it makes the temperature lower than 11 degrees.

The lush of kemiri sunan’s leaves are more than 80.000 leaves/plant. It is predicted to be able to absorb CO2 in large number for then produce O2. Besides, kemiri sunan also has strong and deep root. In 4 years, the root could be 4 meter length.

“The utilization of kemiri sunan as alternative fuel is very good to be used in isolated areas and boarder areas to create Energy Autonomy Village (DME),” says Vice Minister.

To develop kemiri sunan, he said that we need cooperation with other related institutions such as Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Transportation because the failure in developing BBN was caused by lack coordination and communication among related institutions and citizens.

The plant is predicted coming to Indonesia since the 19th century by Chinese traders and is a promising plants to be made as raw material of biofuel. Every 1 ha of kemiri sunan plantation could be achieved for about 10 ton of crude oil/year. The result is far higher than palm oil, which is 6 tons/ha/year. Absolutely the result is higher than jarak pagar.

This possibly could happen because the immersion of kemiri sunan seed could reach 50 %. The more interesting is that from crude oil consists of 88 % of biodiesel and 12 % of gliserol. So, we could conclude that kemiri sunan is relatively quite efficient as raw material of biofuel. Besides, the crude oil of kemiri sunan could be used to produce soap, briquette, organic fertilizer, bio pesticide, paints, resin, lubricant, canvass, and others.

The production of kemiri sunan could reach 50 – 289 kg/plant/year. The plant starts to fruit since 5 – 25 years old, by producing oil immersion for 50 %. However, by breeding plants is predicted could reach plants with harvesting time faster less than 5 years. Recently Balittri is in process of high-producing block selection. (AK)