Jakarta, July 21 -- Rising geopolitical tensions and tighter global oil supplies could soon make hydrogen fuel cost-competitive with petroleum products, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia said Tuesday.

Speaking at the opening of the Global Hydrogen Ecosystem Summit & Exhibition 2026, Bahlil said high production costs remain a major obstacle to hydrogen adoption.

"It will not be long before hydrogen prices become much more competitive with other fuel sources," Bahlil said.

He compared hydrogen's current cost with industrial-grade B50 biodiesel, which sells for about Rp18,600 (US$1.15) per liter.

A commercial bus can travel 3.5 to 4 kilometers per liter on B50 biodiesel, while hydrogen remains slightly more expensive...