Indonesia is advancing plans to introduce compressed natural gas (CNG) cylinders for household use, positioning them as a direct replacement for the country's widely used subsidized liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
The initiative, branded as "Tabung Merah Putih" (Red and White Cylinder), represents a significant pivot in the nation's domestic energy strategy, moving away from imported LPG toward locally sourced natural gas.
Laode Sulaiman, Director General of Oil and Gas at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, confirmed that the CNG cylinders are being prepared for deployment.
The move aligns with broader government efforts to reduce the fiscal burden of fuel subsidies and decrease dependence on imported LPG, which has historically accounted for a substantial portion of household cooking fuel in the archipelago.
The transition to CNG is part of a longer-term strategy to leverage Indonesia's domestic natural gas reserves for end-use applications.
By substituting LPG with CNG, the government aims to stabilize household energy costs while improving the trade balance by reducing LPG imports.