Feature Stories
Community Development and Livelihood Improvement: Development of Alternative Energy
COMMUNITIES 4 November 2014
The basic concept stated by the United Nations in 1948 was "Community Development is a process designed to create conditions of economic and social progress for the whole community with its active participation and fullest possible reliance upon the community's initiative."
At YTL we believe that we are part of the community and we have responsibilities in improving the livelihoods of the local communities. One of YTL business units which is PT YTL Jawa Timur (YTLJT) in Indonesia understood the need of the community and also the boundary and advantage of the local community there. Hence, with the knowledge they have on the community YTLJT established an initiative to promote Green Energy Development in the area around its power plant.
The place was rich with a continuous flow of water; each family's assets were cows and the sun. With this, not one project but three projects was carried out - micro hydro, domestic biogas and solar cells. These would contribute to the improvement in the communities' environment and health aspects.
Micro hydro is an alternative source of energy which YTLJT continues developing. Micro hydro has been chosen because of its low investment cost and the continuously available river flow. A micro hydro pilot project has been constructed and handed over to the community in Kedung Sumur village at the end of August 2012. Its power capacity of 1,900 watts is sufficient to light up 15 to 20 houses in the village. With this programme, YTLJT aims to support the community which has no access to electricity from the national grid. YTLJT built 13 micro hydro units within 2013/2014 and targets to build another 7 by the end of 2014.
The development and construction of micro hydro plants are done by YTLJT with the local community. The local community is participating by supplying construction materials, such as sand and bricks, whilst the Government of Probolinggo Regency constructed the outlet canal.
The other project was domestic biogas where biological waste from the cows can be put into a process to generate methane or biogas. The biogas can be utilised for cooking and fuelling a lamp. This way, the community can save money normally allocated for buying kerosene or elpiji (liquid petroleum gas). YTLJT built 70 biogas units in 2013. In 2014, YTLJT is targeting to build another 100 units.
Like all process the biogas has its output, which was the slurry. Hence, the slurry collected from biogas units to produce organic fertiliser. The organic fertiliser has been named BIOTAMOR (Biogas Taman Organik). Laboratory test on this product confirms better parameters compared to ordinary fertiliser (kompos).The community has an income benefit from the sale of BIOTAMOR besides being able to utilise for their own farm.
Recently in 2014, YTLJT have developed a Solar Power programme for street lighting in 4 villages. At the status quo a total of 12 units of solar cell has been developed where there are 1 unit in SMP Bhakthi Pertiwi, 1 unit in SMA Tunas Luhur, 1 unit in Randutatah and 9 units in Bhinor Village. Students from the Electrical Engineering Faculty of Nurul Jadid University have taken part in the projects commencing with the preparation for the complete installation of the solar cell units. The design of solar cell panel and lamp post was made in-house and manufacture and installation have been carried out by local stakeholders and students.