Fluidity in Indonesian Biofuel Politics:

How Scientists Re-shape the Social

Yuti A. Fatimah September 22, 2011

General Theory
Causal agent Structuralism^ Taken for granted deep structures (belief systems) Causal mechanism Deep structures operate behind the backs of actors, influencing their views and preferences Interaction, coconstruction, translation, alignment

Relationism^

Networks and ongoing relations

Neo-Darwinian Theory*^ Gene

Rational choice*^ Power theory*^ Individual, selfinterested actors

Contribution to fitness
Decentralized choice by instrumental rationality

Collective actors with Resources conflicting interests (Mahoney, 2004 (*); Geels, 2010 (^))

Jatropha researcher; collaborate with APEX and Dian Desa foundation in Dian Desa laboratory in Wairita sub-district, East Nusa Tenggara

Research Questions
How do the social science literatures frame Indonesian biofuel?
Papers

How does an Indonesian scientist shape his path?

In-depth interviews (direct and emails) Attending the scientist class/meeting Archival records

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Framing the Frame

Structuralism
Sills (2008) on land, McCarthy & Zen (2009) on capacity, Koh & Ghazoul (2010) on natures carrying capacity, McCarthy (2010) on capital

Relationism Neo-Darwinian theory Rational choice

Burgers et al. (2011) on institution for poverty reduction, Pye, O. (2010) on biofuel connection, Amir et al. (2008) on various perspective about biofuel, Dauvergne & Neville (2009) on the new regime construction

Power theory
Colbran (2011) on indigenous people
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Concepts used
Path creation: agency that is distributed and emergent through relational processes that constitute phenomena (Garud, Kumaraswamy & Karne, 2010:760) Performation: action to actualize one of the possible configurations Mediators transform, translate, distort, and modify the meaning or the elements they are supposed to carry (Latour, 2005:39) Intermediary is what transport meaning or force without transformation: defining its inputs is enough to define its outputs (Latour, 2005:39)
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Pressure vs time at full load (+ 28 kW)

150

Pressure in fuel pipe

Pressure in cylinder

861 594 112 544 1.708 1.045 2.280 363 953 180 224 2.280 222 1.105 452 1.058 153 515 1.720 188
-30

4.562 1.811 825

Collapse time (milisecond)

319

Scientists Vision

Creating initial demand

Market independence

Difficulty level of technology diffusion

Technology development

Without governments incentive and support, the new technology cannot compete due to: - high cost - competition with the existing technology - consumers unfamiliarity - lack of supporting infrastructure
Critical phase

Synergy via mass production that lowering the price

New product development

: market scale

Market creation

Independence and market expansion

Market maturity

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ASTM PS 121 Biodiesel

Property

GE77 Biodiesel Plant

Flash Point Water&sediment Kinematic Viscosity, 40oC Sulfated Ash Sulfur Copper Strip Corrosion Cetane Number Cloud Point Carbon Residue Carbon Residue Acid Number Free Glicerin Total Glicerine

ASTM methode D93 D2709 D445 D874 D5453 D130 D613 D2500 D4530 D524 D664 D6584 D6584

Limits 100 min 0,050 max 1,9-6,0 0,020 max 0,0015 max No. 3 max 46 min Report to Customer 0,050 max 0,090 max 0,80 max 0,020 max 0,240 max

Units Degrees C % vol Mm2/sec % mass % mass

Degrees C % mass % mass Mg KOH/g % mass % mass

2002 2003
Indonesian Parliament

DESDM MblMtr BBN Team BPPT PT EAI

Pelangi

ITB ITB Bio ITB77 Research Rekind

HE Directorate

IBF

Structure

EHL

UP
IBS RK SSW

NS

BTB

THS

IK
TP

Ish

TS
HQ

LM

AR

DD

Agency

Together with BTB, I initiated the formation of Indonesian Biodiesel Forum (IBF). The idea came from informal discussions, where we decided to create a forum. (Scientist T on IBF formation, 11/05/07) In 2002, Scientist T discussed the possibility of having a collaboration (with Rekind) in a research about biofuel. I interested because of his commitment [] and the second, I saw that he has a clear vision (HQ, the Director of Rekind talking about scientist T, 21/08/05)
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2005 2006
Indonesian Biodiesel Standard GE77s Biodiesel plant

BSN

Indonesian Law No. 30/2007 on Parliament Energy

ITB HE Directorate

DESDM
PT EAI
Pelangi

MblMtr BBN Team BPPT

IBF

ITB Bio ITB77 Rekind PTPN IV Research RAPID

EHL

UP IBS RK SSW

NS

BTB

THS

IK

Ish TP
HQ

TS

LM

AR

DD

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2005 2006 (2)

December 2005: IBF proposed the National Indonesian Standard (SNI) draft on biodiesel to the National Standardization Agency (BSN) February 2006: BSN legitimated the SNI draft 2005: the discussion between Scientist T and HQ was being formalized via Higher education and Industry Research (RAPID) program (ITB Rekind) September 2005: ITB77 formed GE77 company focus on biodiesel production (HQ was the head of ITB77) December 2005: GE77 initial public offering (IPO) in ITB 77 gathering March 2006: contract approval between GE77 (funder), Pamina company (stearin supplier), PTPN IV (SOE; biodiesel buyer), Rekind (plant license)
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2007 2009
Indonesian Biodiesel Standard GE77s Biodiesel plant

NRC

Law No. 30/2007 on Energy

DESDM
Pelangi

LSPro

ITB ITB Bio ITB77 Research

PTPN IV

MblMtr BBN Team BPPT

PT EAI

EHL

UP IBS RK SSW

NS

BTB

THS

IK

Ish TP
HQ

TS

LM

AR

DD

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2007 2009
June 2007: IBF was being legitimized by BSN as the certification body for biodiesel product (LSPro) with BTB as the head January 2009: Scientist T was being appointed as a member of Indonesian National Research Council September 2007: GE77 gave part of their stock to ITB

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Science to Government
ITBs Biodiesel Research Group

TP THS IK

EAI

NGO BBN Team

IBF/ LSPro BTB NS Biodiesel SSW UP BPPT IBS RK

MobilMotor magazine

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Science to Business
ITBs Biodiesel Research Group

Rekind IK
HQ TS

THS TP
Chemical Engineering Alumni

ITB 77

AZA

DW

LM

AK AR

NN
BPD

GE 77

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The Mediators
Scientist T: inventor regulator
Researcher, initiator and president of IBF, promote biofuel development in front of the Parliament, member of National Research Council of Indonesia

Scientist P: inventor entrepreneur

Researcher, principal investigator in the RAPID project

HQ: manager entrepreneur

President of ITB77, director of Rekind

(Cf. Hughes, 1987)

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The Mediators (2)

There are two types of knowledge: international and national. If the international knowledge can be adjusted to support the national welfare, then it become a national knowledge. For me, Indonesian people tend to focus on international knowledge by neglecting the national one (Scientist T) Scientist T is the person who interact with the government. I focus on the technical process of biodiesel rather than on the policy. But we belong to the same group (Scientist P) For me, research that exclude industries, practitioners, or policy makers is not appropriate and tend to waste money (HQ)
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Concluding remarks
Add novelty to the existing Indonesian biofuel literatures via a case study of Indonesian scientist and relational approach Path creation via mediators (Garud, 2001) it is because the former includes the latter that the agencement acts in line with the statement, just as the operating instructions are part of the device and participate in making it work (Callon, 2007:320) Actors statement as a meme? (transformation by conserving certain ideas) Triple-helix of what? Mediatorintermediary instead of structureagency
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Thank you for your attention!

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