November 12, 2025 | 10:54 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A company in Jonggol, Bogor Regency, plans to begin mass production in 2026 of Bobibos, an alternative fuel derived from agricultural waste. Bobibos, whose acronym stands for 'Bahan Bakar Original Buatan Indonesia, Bos!' (Original Indonesian-made Fuel, Boss!), has generated buzz due to its high octane rating (RON) of up to 98, a quality typically reserved for premium vehicles.
PT Inti Sinergi Formula, the company behind the product, refers to Bobibos as "Vegetable Fuel." They claim that in addition to its very high octane rating, the fuel produces near-zero emissions.
"God willing, this will become an alternative renewable energy in the fuel sector," said Mulyadi, President Commissioner of Inti Sinergi Formula, in Jonggol on Tuesday, November 11, 2025.
Domestic Research Awaits Government Permit
Mulyadi stated that the research and development of Bobibos were 100% domestically conducted by Indonesian scientists. Development is still ongoing as the company awaits a mass production permit from the government.
Following its launch on November 2, approximately 3,000 liters of Bobibos are currently available. Mulyadi confirmed that this initial batch will be used solely for small-scale testing in the vicinity of the Jonggol production area.
"In February 2026, we will start mass production, but this is still for testing and will be distributed to the residents around Jonggol first," explained the legislator from the Gerindra Faction in the House of Representatives. "I want to help the community, at least to ease their burden by providing this vegetable fuel, and at the same time conduct a mass trial."
Processing Agricultural Waste: Straw as the Core
Iklas Thamrin, founder of PT Inti Sinergi Formula and head of the Bobibos research team, admitted that he and his team had conducted research and development for a decade. Driven by concerns over high fuel prices and climate change, Iklas began researching renewable energy products in 2014.
Press conference of Biofuel Bobibos in Jonggol, Bogor Regency, West Java, November 11, 2025. Tempo/M.A. Murthado
He emphasized Indonesia's abundance of natural resources that can serve as environmentally friendly raw materials. For Bobibos, after extensive trials, the team chose agricultural waste, specifically rice straw, as the source material.
"Many plant-based raw materials can be used, but we chose straw because it can also achieve food and energy self-sufficiency," Iklas explained. "Because rice is a highly needed food commodity, its residual straw can be used as raw material for Bobibos."
Iklas revealed the patented production calculation: one hectare of paddy fields yields about 9 tons of straw, which has the potential to produce 3,000 liters of Bobibos.
The company has calculated its future production needs, hoping to supply the market at affordable prices for lower to middle-class communities.
"So, for mass Bobibos production, we hope that the government can provide 2,000 hectares of land for paddy cultivation and the production capacity that can produce 1.5 million liters per month," Iklas said. "We just need to wait for collaboration with the government so that all of this can be realized and Bobibos can become a symbol of renewable and low-emission energy owned by Indonesia."
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