Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources is opening opportunities for private companies interested in building ethanol plants following the mandatory target of blending 20 percent bioethanol into gasoline (E20) by 2028.”So, private companies are allowed, and we strongly encourage them to build these (bioethanol) plants,” said Eniya Listiani Dewi, Director General of New, Renewable Energy, and Energy Conservation at the Ministry, in Jakarta on Monday.Furthermore, Dewi stated that this is also being encouraged by the government through discussions on the revision of Presidential Regulation Number 40 of 2023 concerning the Acceleration of National Sugar Self-Sufficiency and the Provision of Bioethanol as a Biofuel.She said the revised regulation will later regulate blending capacity.”Regarding capacity, we also added blending to the revised Presidential Regulation 40. So, yesterday and today, I instructed our team to communicate with the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs because they initiated the revision there. We are adjusting to President Prabowo Subianto's direction to add that,” Dewi said.She estimated that the physical construction of an ethanol plant would likely take only 1.5 years.However, Dewi acknowledged that rapid construction also requires the readiness and availability of local raw materials.”Well, it's just the raw materials. If the factory is built, it can be finished in 1.5 years, but the raw materials must also be carefully prepared,” she added.Previously, President Prabowo Subianto planned to increase the number of ethanol plants in Indonesia, building at least 30 to 50 plants in an effort to develop fuel oil with ethanol blends.President Prabowo announced on Friday that Indonesia can now blend gasoline with ethanol up to a 20 percent level, or E20.”Earlier, officials said we could reach E20. We need a factory. We only have one factory. I decided earlier that we will build at least 30 factories, and if necessary, up to 50,” he said.The Head of State cited India achieving E20 and Brazil achieving E100 as positive examples.Looking at these two countries, he expressed optimism that Indonesia can achieve its target of reaching E20.