Jakarta, June 27 -- The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) has identified sugar palm (aren) as a highly viable, sustainable alternative for national bioethanol production.

The crop offers simplified processing, a high octane rating, and the ability to thrive on marginal land without competing with food crops, according to a researcher at BRIN's Biomass and Bioproducts Research Center, Saptadi Darmawan.

Speaking at the Center for Sustainable Forest Development in Bogor, Friday (June 26), Saptadi explained that sugar palm sap is a relatively easy raw material for bioethanol as it contains high levels of sucrose, glucose, and fructose.

Unlike bioethanol derived from starch or wood biomass, which requires complex processing, bi...