Archives 2025

Fossil fuels still play a major role in powering the transportation sector, including trains. While electric-powered trains are now in use, their implementation remains limited to certain urban areas.

However, beyond these fuel types, there’s a promising alternative energy source that could offer a better solution: LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas). Compared to traditional fossil fuels, LNG presents a more cost-efficient fuel option and produces significantly lower exhaust emissions.

Curious about how LNG could help drive a more eco-friendly transportation system? Let’s explore its full potential in this article.

What Types of Fuel Are Used for Trains?

Trains around the world use various types of fuel for operation. These include coal, petroleum, electricity, natural gas, and even renewable energy sources.

1. Coal

Steam locomotives still use coal as the main fuel to generate steam and power the train. However, today, coal-powered trains are rare and typically serve special purposes, such as tourism or transporting mining products in specific regions.

Read More: The Ideal Coal Replacements

2. Petroleum

In the early 1900s, petroleum began replacing wood as the fuel for steam trains. As the steam era ended, petroleum was used to power diesel locomotives, which were more efficient and could travel longer distances.

In Indonesia, PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) still uses B35 biodiesel for its diesel locomotives. However, with advancements in transportation technology, the use of petroleum-based fuels is gradually declining.

3. Electricity

Electricity powers urban rail systems like commuter lines and MRTs, which depend on rapid transit networks. But electric trains come with their own challenges, such as the need for dedicated infrastructure like electrified rail tracks.

As a result, electric trains are generally limited to areas with existing electrification, making them less flexible for broader railway operations.

Read More: The Crucial Role of Alternative Electricity Sources in Shaping Our Future

4. Renewable Energy

In several developed countries, train propulsion has begun shifting toward renewable energy, such as wind and solar power. Though the application of these technologies remains limited, they demonstrate that the transport sector can actively contribute to the clean energy transition.

Solar and wind energy offer several unbeatable advantages: they are abundant, environmentally friendly, and emit no pollution during use.

5. Natural Gas

The use of natural gas in transportation is still in its early stages and mostly limited to pilot projects. However, it’s seen as a promising energy source thanks to its lower emissions and environmental benefits compared to coal and petroleum.

One of the most viable forms of natural gas for train fuel is LNG. LNG offers greater fuel efficiency and allows trains to travel longer distances on a single fill-up.

Read More: Top Benefits of Natural Gas, More Than Just Low Emissions

Why LNG Is a Strong Contender for Train Fuel?

There’s no denying the environmental downsides of fossil fuels like coal and petroleum, especially in the form of greenhouse gas emissions that harm the planet.

LNG emerges as a cleaner alternative fuel, aligning with the global push for greener, more sustainable transportation.

According to BPH Migas, countries like the USA, Canada, Russia, and India have already adopted LNG as a train fuel. The agency also stated that Indonesia has a strong opportunity to become the fifth country in the world to integrate LNG into its national railway system.

LNG doesn’t just reduce carbon and particulate emissions, it also brings cost savings on operations and offers improved engine performance compared to diesel fuel.

Read More: Is Transportation Truly the Biggest Energy Consumer?

Indonesia’s LNG-Powered Train Pilot Project

PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) has shown strong interest in developing LNG-powered trains. This initiative supports both energy efficiency goals and the broader green energy transition in the transport sector.

According to CNBC Indonesia, the government has already initiated a pilot project to convert diesel fuel to Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) on the Jakarta–Surabaya railway route, in collaboration with KAI.

This pilot marks an important first step in proving that LNG can serve as a cleaner, more sustainable alternative for transportation.If the conversion proves successful and is implemented on a broader scale, LNG-powered trains could significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to climate change mitigation and supporting Indonesia’s carbon reduction targets.

References:

• BPH Migas. Accessed 2025. Percepat Implementasi Penggunaan LNG untuk Bahan Bakar Kereta Api
• Atonergi. Accessed 2025. Kendaraan Listrik vs Kendaraan Subsidi BBM
• CNBC Indonesia. Accessed 2025. Wiih! Kereta Api Mulai Diuji Coba Pakai LNG
• Dunia Energi. Accessed 2025. Ini Potensi Efisiensi Penggunaan LNG pada Kereta Pembangkit KAI

Today, we still rely heavily on fossil fuels as our primary source of energy. While these resources have played a crucial role in powering the global economy and industries, they come with significant health risks and environmental damage.

To reduce this dependence, it’s time we accelerate the transition toward cleaner and more sustainable energy. The truth is, we already have alternatives ready to replace coal and petroleum.

Let’s explore the best energy options available to us today.

Why Do We Need to Move Away from Fossil Fuels?

Global warming is largely driven by the burning of fossil fuels like coal and oil. The combustion process causes severe harm to both the environment and human health.

Extracting and using fossil fuels leads to deforestation, land displacement, ecosystem degradation, and loss of biodiversity.

Toxic waste from fossil fuel processing often contaminates freshwater sources, rivers, and oceans, endangering communities that rely on clean water access.

Moreover, air pollutants from fossil fuel combustion increase the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

Unfortunately, Indonesia remains highly dependent on fossil fuels. This calls for strong commitment, progressive policies, and investment in clean and sustainable energy infrastructure.

Read More: Decarbonization, Why the World Must Shift to Clean Energy?

What Are the Best Alternatives to Fossil Fuels?

To avoid worsening environmental destruction and health hazards caused by coal and oil, we must transition to cleaner and greener energy sources.

Here are several promising alternatives:

Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)

LNG is derived from natural gas that is cooled to -162°C, transforming it into a liquid for easier storage and distribution, especially in areas without pipeline networks. Although still a fossil fuel, LNG is cleaner and more efficient than coal and oil.

Switching from coal to LNG can reduce carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions by about 25%, nitrogen oxides (NOₓ) by around 90%, and it produces almost no sulfur dioxide (SO₂) or other harmful particulates.

Read More: What’s the Difference Between LPG and LNG? A Clear Breakdown

Solar Energy

Solar power is one of the most abundant and eco-friendly renewable energy sources. It harnesses sunlight to generate electricity using solar panels or photovoltaic systems.

Indonesia’s location along the equator makes it ideal for solar energy development, with year-round sunshine providing enormous potential.

Wind Energy

Wind power is generated by using turbines to convert the kinetic energy of wind into electricity, without combustion, which means zero emissions.

Wind energy is abundant and free, especially in coastal regions, highlands, or open plains where wind speeds are consistently high.

Read More: The Crucial Role of Alternative Electricity Sources in Shaping Our Future

Hydropower (Water Energy)

This energy is generated by using flowing river water or waterfalls to drive turbines in hydroelectric power plants.

It utilizes water’s kinetic energy to generate electricity without emitting carbon. Hydropower plants can also help with flood control and agricultural irrigation.

Biomass Energy

Biomass comes from organic matter such as crop waste, wood, and animal manure, which can be processed into energy.

Through combustion or fermentation, biomass can be turned into biogas to power households, industries, or transportation. It also helps reduce organic waste buildup, which would otherwise harm the environment.

Geothermal Energy

Geothermal energy comes from the Earth’s natural heat. Steam or hot water from underground reservoirs is used to drive turbines and produce electricity.

Located along the Pacific Ring of Fire, Indonesia is one of the world’s richest countries in geothermal resources. Harnessing this energy supports national power capacity while enabling a cleaner energy transition.

Read More: Why LNG Plays a Key Role in the Global Energy Transition?

Why LNG Is a Strong Contender to Replace Coal and Oil?

LNG is recognized as a cleaner-burning fossil fuel compared to coal or petroleum. It emits significantly less carbon when used, helping reduce environmental impact.

LNG is clear, odorless, and non-corrosive. It’s also less flammable and safer to transport compared to other fuels.

In Indonesia, LNG is playing a strategic role in the energy transition. Its use significantly reduces air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

LNG is being increasingly used not only in the industrial sector but also for household purposes. In the power generation sector, the government, through state-owned enterprises, is collaborating with Pertamina to develop Gas Engine Power Plants, particularly in Eastern Indonesia, where the project is currently in the trial phase.

With its wide range of potential, LNG is seen as a strategic bridge toward achieving the government’s energy transition targets. According to the National Grid, LNG produces up to 40% lower emissions compared to coal and 30% lower than oil.

By reducing greenhouse gas emissions, our efforts to mitigate global warming become significantly more achievable, don’t you agree?

The increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is driving climate change at an unprecedented rate.

According to the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported that 2023 was the hottest year on record, with the global average temperature anomaly reaching 1.4°C above pre-industrial levels.

Global warming has now become a major threat in the climate crisis, with increasingly alarming and tangible impacts. These are clear signs of change, and we are already experiencing their effects today.

What Are the Warning Signs of Worsening Global Warming?

The impacts of global warming should not be underestimated. If left unchecked, it could severely damage human life, natural ecosystems, and biodiversity.

Here are five signs that clearly show how global warming is intensifying:

1. Rising Global Average Temperatures

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) AR6 2023 report, the global average surface temperature has increased by approximately 1.09 °C (with a range of 0.95–1.20 °C) compared to the pre-industrial period.

This condition is driven by the rising concentration of greenhouse gases, primarily caused by human activities such as fossil fuel combustion, deforestation, and industrial operations.

Read More: Why Cutting Carbon Emissions Is Critical for the Planet’s Future?

2. Extreme Weather Events

Higher global temperatures disrupt atmospheric and oceanic systems, leading to extreme weather patterns—rising sea surface temperatures, prolonged droughts, and earlier snowmelts.

These changes exacerbate disaster-prone areas, increase the spread of diseases such as malaria and dengue, and strain public health systems.

Extreme weather events are no longer isolated phenomena—they’re a real and growing threat to environmental resilience, public health, and economic stability.

3. Melting Polar Ice

Warming caused by the accumulation of greenhouse gases is accelerating the melting of polar ice, particularly in the Arctic.

Sea ice and glaciers are disappearing at a rate much faster than historical averages. As land ice melts, it releases freshwater into oceans, causing global sea levels to rise.

This threatens low-lying coastal regions and small islands while disrupting global climate systems.

Read More: The Main Causes of Climate Change and Its Devastating Impact on Earth

4. Shifting Seasonal and Climate Patterns

Greenhouse gases naturally help stabilize the Earth’s temperature. However, emissions from fossil fuels and deforestation have drastically increased their concentrations, causing rapid climate shifts.

Over the past 10,000 years, global temperatures rose by about 3°C to 8°C, but at a slow, natural pace. In contrast, nearly 1.2°C of warming has occurred in just one century, highlighting an alarming acceleration.

This warming disrupts seasonal and climate patterns, threatening agriculture, water supply, and increasing the risk of floods.

5. Ecosystem Disruptions and Species Extinction

Rising temperatures, shifting rainfall patterns, and changing seasons threaten natural habitats—some are degraded, while others vanish completely.

Species extinction doesn’t just mean a loss of individual organisms—it weakens the entire ecosystem web.

Biodiversity is essential for ecosystem health, and the loss of even one species can cause cascading effects on many others.

Read More: Why Switching to Green Energy Matters and How It Impacts the Planet?

The Role of LNG in Tackling Global Warming

In the global push to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and slow down global warming, cleaner and more efficient energy sources are urgently needed.

This is where Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) plays a strategic role as a transitional fuel toward a more sustainable energy future. Compared to coal, LNG emits about 50% less carbon dioxide (CO₂) when burned.

As the cleanest fossil fuel, LNG provides a practical solution for sectors like industry, transportation, and power generation to cut carbon footprints—even before renewable energy systems are fully in place.

Many countries have already incorporated LNG into their sustainable energy policies. It is often considered a “bridge fuel” due to its immediate applicability with existing technology.