By: Masayu Yulien Vinanda

Bandung (29/07)-To socialize the use of renewable energy, WWF Indonesia Climate and Energy Program organized a 3day-field trip obeserving several pilot projects of renewable energy in West Java, starting from Monday (27/07) to Wednesday (29/07).  Climate and Energy Program Staff in Jakarta, project leaders, coordinators, and field project staff in WWF Kalimantan and Sumatra participated in the event.

The first location they visited was Cinta Mekar Micro Hydro Power Plant (PLTMH) located in Subang subdistric. The power plant was installed at UN-ESCAP (United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific),  People Centered Economic and Business Institute (Ibeka), and Hidropiranti, Ltd. donation.

By utilizing Ciasem river flow, the local people who previously didn’t have access for electricity, now, they sell electricity to PLN (State-owned Electricty Company). Supplied with two cross flow turbines, village economic enterprise (Koperasi) earns 25 millions per month.

Small dam holds the river water then channel it to a permanent irrigation. 400 meters from the dam, water is intercepted in the forebay tank. This tank allows sand and debris to be separated from the water in the power canal before it is “dropped' into the turbines via a penstock from 18,6 height. Then those two turbines drive two generators that provide electricity for a workshop with 120 kilowatt maximum capacity. There will be no water loss, since the output water is carried back to the river. From all water debit 1,500 liters per second, the quantity of water flowing been diverted is 1,100 liters per second.

Next agenda was visiting the process of making water turbines in Cihanjuang Inti Teknik,Ltd., located in Lembang Subdistrict. The owner, Eddy Permadi, started his research in a labarotaorium-or a workshop, making water turbines used for micro hydro power plant. Eddy and his staffs have done a breakthrough in making water turbines. As a fact, he was inspired to create simple water turbines which can be installed in viilages or houses. They are also possible to be operated and maintained by technical high school (STM) graduates.

Not only micro hydro energy, field trip participants had a chance to visit Cikidang village, Lembang, which has utilized biogass energy (energy produced from animals manure) as a fuel for cooking

The use of geothermal renewable energy in Kamojang geothermal power plant (PLTP) was also part of the visited location. Kamojang Generation Business Unit Kamojang located in Guntur mountain range has three Generation Businees Sub Unit (Sub UBP) with 375 MW total installed capacity; Kamojang Generation Business Sub Unit, Darajat Sub UBP,and Mt. Salak Sub UBP. Three units are connected paralellly with Jawa-Bali distribution system.

Lastly, they observed solardryer technology which is commonly used in leather industry. Leaher entrepreneur in Garut acknowledged, drying leather using solar dryer is far more beneficial than conventional way. By using  firewood, the temperature inside the solar dryer can be increased until 40 ºC. The drying process will be automatically faster. Moreover, it  produces better quality of leather.