Understanding how fuel choices affect air quality

Air pollution remains a major challenge in Indonesia’s cities. Cleaner vehicles can reduce emissions, but replacing the existing vehicle fleet takes time.

ACFA sponsored a study by Eastern Research Group (ERG) and the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) to examine how gasoline formulation could affect emissions from vehicles already on the road.

The researchers developed MOVES-Indonesia, adapting the US EPA’s Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator to reflect local vehicle fleets, activity and emissions in Jakarta and Surabaya.

Ten gasoline formulations were modelled across different octane levels, oxygen contents and oxygenate types.

What did the study find?

The modelling showed that fuel formulation can make a significant difference to vehicle emissions.

Among the formulations assessed, ether-based fuels delivered the largest overall reductions in several pollutants, including reductions of up to 41% in PM2.5, 13% in carbon monoxide, 4% in nitrogen oxides and 7% in volatile organic compounds, compared with Pertalite R90.

Why it matters

Improving fuel quality can reduce emissions across vehicles already in use, allowing air-quality benefits to begin without waiting for the entire fleet to be replaced.

MOVES-Indonesia also provides a locally adapted modelling platform that can support future research and policy analysis on transport emissions and fuel quality in Indonesia.

Want to explore the study in more detail?

The full Impact of Oxygenated Gasoline on Indonesian Vehicle Emissions report contains the methodology, modelling and detailed findings from the study.

Request the full report