Cempaka Development, Construction & Utilities

Dutch accused of dumping chemicals in Jakarta

2012-01-30T16:05:00.001+07:00

RNW, 29 January 2012

Indonesia'sFinance Minister Agus Martowardojo has accused the Netherlands and the UnitedKingdom of violating the Basel Convention against the dumping of chemicalwaste.

Theminister told reporters on Saturday that customs had impounded 113 containersof hazardous and toxic waste at the port of Tanjung Priok in Jakarta, accordingto a report in the Jakarta Post.

The Dutchand British governments "should have reported the shipments to Indonesiabecause they contained hazardous and toxic waste" under the terms of theBasel agreement, which has been in force since 1992. The 89 British and 24Dutch containers contained mainly scrap metal contaminated with poisonouschemicals.

The Jakartagovernment has said it will notify the British and Dutch embassies of the find,demanding an explanation for the incompleteness of the shipload's documents.The owner of the PT HHS company which attempted to import the scrap metal intoIndonesia could face a 15-year jail sentence if found guilty, EnvironmentMinister Balthasar Kombuaya said.

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Scrap Steel Smuggling Attempt Foiled

The toughest place to be a binman

The customs office foiled the attempted smuggling of 28,200 kilograms
of scrap steel allegedly contaminated by hazardous waste at the Tanjung
Priok Port on Saturday in Jakarta. (Antara Photo/Ujang Zaelani)

Full Steam Ahead as PLN Targets Geothermal Power

2012-01-06T23:07:00.001+07:00

Jakarta Globe, RirinRadiawati Kusuma, January 06, 2012

An employee walking along a thermal pipe at the Kamojang geothermal
power plant near Garut, West Java, on March 18. State utility provider
Perusahaan Listrik Negara is targeting an additional 135 megawatts of
electricity from three new geothermal plants. (Reuters Photo/Beawiharta)

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State-ownedpower producer Perusaahan Listrik Negara expects to generate an additional 135megawatts of electricity from its three geothermal power plants that are set togo online this year as part of its plans to boost capacity across the nation.

MuhammadSofyan, director of renewable energy at the state utility provider known asPLN, said on Friday that it expected to operate three new geothermal powerplants this year. They include the 110 megawatt Ulubelu plant in Lampung,Sumatra; a 20 MW plant in Lahendong, North Sulawesi; and a 5 MW plant inManggarai, West Flores.

Sofyan saidthe Ulubelu plant was expected to start operating by October. PertaminaGeothermal Energy will provide steam for the plant at a cost of 4.3 cents perkilowatt hour, he said.

PGE is aunit of state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina, and it provides steam atother PLN facilities in the country.

TheLahendong plant will similarly work with PGE, Sofyan said, and it should beginoperating in February.

Sofyan saidthe Ulumbu plant would also become operational in February. PLN, he said, wouldprovide the steam for the Ulumbu geothermal plant.

PLN isresponsible for improving access to electricity and reducing power outages thatare common in many parts of Indonesia.

Thecountry’s electrification rate, which indicates what percentage of householdshave access to power, is forecast to increase to 75 percent this year from 71percent last year, PLN said.

PLN isworking to provide 20 MW of power from renewable energy sources on remoteislands such as Mentawai, Riau and Bangka-Belitung.

Indonesiais an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, and many volcanoes stretchacross major islands such as Sumatra and Java along a range that makes itdesirable to tap these geothermal sources for the production of electricity.

Renewableenergy also includes production of electricity from water, wind and solar.

Indonesia,a nation of 240 million people, had power-generation capacity at as much as28,462 MW as of the end of last year, according to PLN data.

Coal-poweredplants account for around 42.2 percent of that capacity, with diesel-firedplants 23.7 percent, gas 22 percent, hydropower plants 6.7 percent andgeothermal and other renewable energy at 5.4 percent.

PresidentSusilo Bambang Yudhoyono has ordered the Energy Ministry to boost the country’selectricity capacity by implementing a 20,000 MW fast-track program. Theprogram aims to boost the nation’s electrification rate to 80.24 percent by2014.

Late lastmonth, Yudhoyono inaugurated three coal-fired plants and broke ground on theupgrade of an oil refinery, facilities that are intended to help the countrycope with rapidly rising demand for fuel and electricity.

Yudhoyonolaunched three power plants, two in Banten province and one in Central Java,via teleconference. The three plants have a total production capacity of 1,600MW and are expected to consume 6.5 million tons of coal annually.

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Suspects Named in Indonesian Bridge Collapse Disaster

2012-01-02T15:24:00.001+07:00

Jakarta Globe, TunggadewaMattangkilang & Farouk Arnaz, January 02, 2012

At least 18 were killed and 39 others injured when the the Mahakam II
Bridge in East Kalimantan collapsed. (Agency Photo)

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"Bambangalso said the police were also looking into the possibility of corruption beinga factor in the shoddy construction of the bridges." Corruption inIndonesia? Surely that is not possible

Previous1Next

The policehave named three suspects in the case of the collapse of a 10-year-oldsuspension bridge in East Kalimantan in November, an officer said on Sunday.

Comr. Gen.Sutarman, the National Police chief of detectives, said the three suspects hadyet to be detained.

“Based onthe results of the investigation and the evidence gathered, three people havebeen named as suspects by the East Kalimantan Police,” Sutarman said.

Heidentified them as Y.S., an official of the Kutai Kartanegara district publicwork office; S.T., a technical executor of the project; and MSF from BukakaTehnik Utama, the company in charge of the bridge’s maintenance and repairs.

He said thethree suspects would be summoned for questioning at East Kalimantan policeheadquarters on suspicion of having violated two articles of the Penal Codepertaining to negligence leading to the loss of life.

At least 24people died when the Rp 104 billion ($11.4 million) Mahakam II bridge,inaugurated in 2001, collapsed on Nov. 26. A dozen other people are stillmissing and feared dead.

Meanwhile,East Kalimantan Police chief Insp. Gen. Bambang Widaryatmo said that thesuspects may be arrested after their questioning.

“We willsummon them immediately and detain them,” Bambang said.

He addedthat the three suspects were named after the questioning of 57 witnesses,including five expert witnesses from five universities.

He said theinvestigation had been slow because some of the maintenance workers were amongthe victims and their equipment had sunk to the bottom of the Mahakam Riverwhen the bridge collapsed.

“We arealso constrained because the experts who have been asked to provideexplanations in relation to the collapse of the bridge are still awaiting theresults of the analysis of several teams deployed from the concerned ministriesto study the incident,” he said.

Bambangalso said the police were also looking into the possibility of corruption beinga factor in the shoddy construction of the bridges by studying all availabledocuments, including the contract for the construction, signed in 1995.

“We arecurrently investigating suspicions of corruption in the bridge’s construction.For example, cables that should have been 100 centimeters long, were only 10centimeters long,” Bambang said.

Meanwhile,Sri Wahyuningsih, a spokeswoman for the Kutai Kartanegara district, said thatdistrict authorities were continuing efforts to evacuate the victims andvehicles still believed to be at the bottom of the Mahakam River. Theauthorities will also lift the structure, a task expected to be complete byFeb. 17.

“There werethree companies making offers and presentations [for the clearance contract],but we have yet to choose a winner,” she said.

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Indonesian Garbage Project Helps to Save the Climate

2012-01-01T17:54:00.001+07:00

Jakarta Globe, Christiane Oelrich, January 01, 2012

A man perches on a makeshift raft on a river covered with trash as he
searches for materials to recycle, north of Indonesia's capital, Jakarta
in this file photo. Residents in Tangerang are taking trash collection into
their own hands. (Reuters Photo/Supri)

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Tangerang.Crouched and concentrated, August and Karma rip open knotted plastic bags atthe foot of a big pile of rubbish.

Yoghurtcups, paper packaging, plastic, pineapple rinds, cabbage leaves, chicken bonesand the like fall out. The young Indonesian men begin sorting. Organic materialgoes to one side, and bottles, plastic and paper to the other.

“A superjob,” remarks Karma, 23. “Finally, reliable work.” The two sort their rubbishand that of their neighbors, too. For the past year, the 325 families in GriyaSerpong — a working class housing area of Tangerang, a city some 40 kilometerssouth-west of Jakarta — have been disposing of their garbage themselves.

Municipalgarbage collection was never reliable, and the residents used to dump theirrefuse in a vacant field — a paradise for rats, flies, mosquitoes and snakes.

Everythingis different now. The roofed garbage sorting facility is a source of localpride.

“It’s got alot cleaner here,” notes Ulil Albab, the project’s honorary chairman.

“Nobodywanted to have anything to do with rubbish before. Now we bring school kidshere and show them how to compost,” Karma says.

Residentsbuilt the facility with the help of BEST, a local non-governmental organizationfocusing on urban poverty and community development, and BORDA (Bremen OverseasResearch and Development Association), a German non-profit organization thataims to improve the living conditions of disadvantaged communities and to keepthe environment intact.

At amonthly cost per family of 12,000 Indonesian rupiahs, or a little over 1dollar, August and Karma sweep through the alleyways of Griya Serpong withtheir moped and trailer every day collecting garbage — 400 kilograms of it.

Theycompost all organic refuse at the sorting facility. It is then sold along withthe plastic, glass and paper.

Agathe, 35,has made a business out of rubbish. She collects discarded detergent and noodlebags. She and her girlfriends fashion colorful handbags and wallets from them.

Wheneverything of value has been separated out of the housing area’s refuse, nomore than 30 percent remains. It is taken to a tip.

BESTDirector Hamzah Harun Al Rasyid is pleased. “It’s a win-win situation,” hesays. “The housing area is cleaner, there are new jobs, and there isconsiderably less rubbish, so we’re reducing methane emissions from the garbagetips.”

Karma andAugust constantly turn over the compost pile, which aerates it. This helpsprevent the formation of methane, a potent greenhouse gas that makes garbagetips a big contributor to global warming.

AsIndonesia’s population grows rapidly, so do the piles of garbage that areproduced by the country’s more than 240 million inhabitants.

Whilerecycling is a booming industry — for example in Germany, where it generatessome 67 billion dollars in revenues annually — almost all of the Indonesiangarbage is incinerated or dumped in open tips.

About 1.8million tons of garbage is likely to be produced daily worldwide by 2025,according to BORDA. In Indonesia, 62 percent of the refuse is organic and couldbe composted. But there is no large-scale sorting of refuse.

Facilitieslike the one in Griya Serpong are catching on. The twenty-first one is to beinaugurated in the near future, and many other communities are clamoring fortheir own.

“Weestimate that each facility like this reduces methane by 132 tons a year,” saidJati Kusumowati, who works at the BORDA office in the city of Yogyakarta. “Wethink they ought to be promoted internationally as well.” One way to do thismight be via the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) set out in the KyotoProtocol on climate change, which allows industrialized countries to meet theiremission--reduction or limitation commitments in part by paying for emissioncuts in developing countries.

A one-tonreduction in methane would earn about 13 to 16 dollars, according toKusumowati.

But smallprojects such as the one in Griya Serpong would not clear the technical andbureaucratic hurdles necessary for them to be officially recognized. BORDA isnow trying to get the requirements for small projects loosened.

DPA

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Dutch Unveil Latest Plan in War Against the Sea: a Massive Sandbar

2011-12-27T03:25:00.001+07:00

Jakarta Globe, Nicolas Delaunay, December 26, 2011

The wind, waves and ocean currents, it is hoped, will drive the man-made
peninsula of sand landward to replenish the coast of the Netherlands.
(AFP Photo)

Kijkduin,Netherlands. In its age-old war to keep back the sea, low-lying Netherlands hasdumped sand onto a surface larger than 200 football fields just off the coast —and will wait for nature to do the rest.

The wind,waves and ocean currents are the next “engineers” in this innovative projectthat will see the transferred sand — all 20 million cubic meters of it — drivenlandward to form a natural barrier against the North Sea’s relentlessonslaught. The elements have started moving the tip of the bar, which alreadyalmost touches land at low tide.

Over aperiod of 15 to 20 years, the sand will wash toward the coast, reinforcingbeaches and existing sand dunes that help protect the Netherlands, more than aquarter of which lies below sea level.

“Undernatural circumstances, the Dutch coast would erode away slowly,” said LeoLinnartz, an ecology expert who advised the project’s developers on behalf ofthe World Wide Fund for Nature. Without reinforcing fragile shores, floodswould eventually be inevitable, he said.

Over thedecades, the Dutch have developed world-renowned expertise in the field ofhydro-engineering, notably in constructing dams, dikes and bridges.

Around17,500 kilometers of embankment have already been built along its coast and rivers.

The newproject was conceived by a group of experts commissioned by the Dutchgovernment to help solve the country’s ongoing headache. It used dredgers tosuck up ocean-floor sand 10 kilometers off the coast then dump it closer toland. Some of the huge machines were able to carry as much as 10,000 cubicmeters of sand at one time.

If theexperiment works, the sandbar project, situated between the seaside suburbs ofKijkduin and Ter Heijde near The Hague, will be replicated elsewhere in thecountry. And the system could even be exported.

“We used todo it in such a way that we used a lot of stones and concrete and things likethat,” said Linnartz. “But nowadays we prefer to work together with nature, tocooperate with natural forces.”

The idea ofstrengthening the coastline with sand is not new, Linnartz said. But placing itoff the coast and allowing nature to take its course is not only a freshapproach to the problem but less harmful to the environment than simply dumpingmore sand on the dunes, he said.

Whiletraditional shoring up happens around every five years, the new plan based onthe sand’s natural movement will last 15 to 20 years.

AgenceFrance-Presse

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Dike to house ‘blue energy’ plant

Afsluitdijk, The Netherlands

Dike to house ‘blue energy’ plant

2011-12-23T22:52:00.001+07:00

RNW, 23December 2011

Afsluitdijk, The Netherlands

The cabinethas approved funding totalling 20 million euros for sustainable energy projectson the Afsluitdijk, the 32-kilometre barrier that closed off the Zuiderzee fromthe open sea to create what is now the freshwater IJsselmeer lake.

The dikewill house an innovative osmotic power plant, or ‘blue energy’ plant, whichexploits pressure created when salt water passes through a membrane to mix withfresh water. Solar panels will also be mounted on the dike.

Thesustainable energy funding comes as part of a renovation package to increasethe safety of the Afsluitdijk, which was completed in 1932. In its presentstate the barrier can no longer guarantee protection against high water, theInfrastructure Ministry says.

The surfaceof the dike is to be reinforced along its entire length, and the sluices thatdrain excess water from the IJsselmeer into the sea will be given a 200-millioneuro overhaul.

Theregional authorities have also investigated opportunities to use the dike forrecreational purposes. The renovation project may also include the constructionof a marina. At present the dike serves as a road link between the west andnorth of the country.

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German village generates 321 percent more renewable energy than it needs, earns millions selling it back to national power grid

Carrots in the car park. Radishes on the roundabout. The deliciously eccentric story of the town growing ALL its own veg

Durban? What a waste of time!

(Photo: RNW)

German village generates 321 percent more renewable energy than it needs, earns millions selling it back to national power grid

2011-12-22T00:55:00.001+07:00

Natural News, Monday, December 19, 2011 by: Ethan A. Huff, staff writer

German village of Wildpoldsried generates 321 percent more renewable
energy than it needs

(NaturalNews)Developing a renewable energy system that creates energy independence and evena considerable new source of revenue is not some sort of sci-fi pipe dream.BioCycle reports that the German village of Wildpoldsried, population 2,600,has had such incredible success in building its renewable energy system.Wildpoldsried generates 321 percent more renewable energy than it uses, and itnow sells the excess back to the national power grid for roughly $5.7 millionin additional revenue every single year.

Byutilizing a unique combination of solar panels, "biogas" generators,natural wastewater treatment plants, and wind turbines, Wildpoldsried haseffectively eliminated its need to be attached to a centralized power grid, andcreated a thriving renewable energy sector in the town that is self-sustainingand abundantly beneficial for the local economy, the environment, and thepublic.

You canview some amazing pictures of the Wildpoldsried village at: (http://inhabitat.com/german-village-produces-321-more-energy-than-it-needs/wildpoldsried-germany).

Possessingadmirable vision for the town and strong motivation to see the project as awhole succeed, Mayor Arno Zengerie has led the way for many years in makingWildpoldsried's energy independence efforts a success. As far back as 1997, thevillage has been investing in building and promoting new industries,maintaining a strong local economy, generating new forms of revenue, andultimately staying out of debt. And the best way it saw fit to accomplish muchof this was through the implementation of self-sustaining, renewable energytechnologies.

Not onlydid Wildpoldsried successfully reduce the amount of time expected to generatethe necessary funds to build local treasures like a sports hall, theater stage,pub, and retirement home with the revenue generated by its thriving renewableenergy sector -- the village has already successfully built nine communitybuildings, with more on the way -- but it also achieved all this and morewithout going into debt.

"Weoften spend a lot of time talking to our visitors about how to motivate thevillage council (and Mayor) to start thinking differently," said MayorZengerle, who now gives talks around the world about the successes of hisaward-winning village. "We show them a best practices model in motion andmany see the benefits immediately. From the tour we give, our guests understandhow well things can operate when you have the enthusiasm and conviction of thepeople.

Be sure toread the full, inspiring account of Wildpoldsried's history of, and successesin, renewable energy at: (http://www.jgpress.com/archives/_free/002409.html).

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Carrots in the car park. Radishes on the roundabout. The deliciously eccentric story ofthe town growing ALL its own veg

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Bridge falls while under construction

2011-12-12T15:36:00.000+07:00

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 12/12/2011

Collapsing trend: Workers remove pieces of the collapsed
Marunda- Cilincing bridge in North Jakarta on Sunday. The bridge,
which was due to be operational by end of this month, collapsed
early Sunday. Nobody was injured, but the incident raises questions
about the quality of workmanship. Antara/ Reno Esnir

A bridgeconnecting Marunda and Cilincing in North Jakarta collapsed while still underconstruction early on Sunday, another example of shoddy infrastructure in thewake of the fatal collapse of the Kutai bridge.

No deathsor injuries were reported in the incident, but financial losses are expected tohave reached to Rp 750 million (US$83,250).

Cityofficials were quick to begin pointing the blame.

“This ispurely human error. The quality of the concrete blocks should not bequestioned, because they are top-notch,” Jakarta Public Works Agency deputychief Novizal told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.

Oncecomplete, the bridge is expected to be 620 meters long. Around 70 meters of thebridge still needs to be completed. The project is expected to be finished bythe end of December.

Novizalsaid the incident had occurred when construction workers were attempting toplace a sixth 30.8-meter girder on top of the foundation pillars.

“The sixthconcrete block rolled sideways and fell on the block next to it, creating adomino effect,” he said.

The Marundabridge incident comes in the wake of the collapse of the Kutai Kartanegarabridge in East Kalimantan, which killed at least 21 people and left 15unaccounted for.

On Dec. 6,the 70-meter Bamba bridge over the Saddang River in Pinrang regency, SouthSulawesi, collapsed only a month after it was opened. Two days later, the 800-

meter Pikhebridge in Wamena in Jayawijaya district, Papua, collapsed.

On Sept.16, 2010, a 100-meter section of the Jl. R.E. Martadinata, which connects Ancoland the Tanjung Priok port in North Jakarta subsided as a result of seawaterabrasion.

Urbananalyst Nirwono Joga said he suspected foul played a part in the Marunda bridgecollapse.

“The realreason [the incident occurred] is because contractors and government officialsalways cut corners on construction projects,” he told the Post.

On averageonly between 50 and 60 percent of funds earmarked for construction projectsends being used to pay for the actual construction, Nirwono said.

Theremainder is used for administrative purposes, such as the wheeling and dealingneeded to get the project approved by the City Council or House ofRepresentatives, he said.

Nirwonourged government officials and contractors to stop corruption in infrastructureconstruction projects.

“We shouldnot be playing with public safety. Things must change. The government shouldhave the will to do it,” he said.

However, acivil engineering professor from Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), RizalTamin, said he was convinced that human error could have been the main factorin the Marunda bridge collapse.

“This couldhave been a result of a lack of discipline in implementing the standardoperating procedures,” he said. (mim)

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Geothermal drilling in Solok Selatan scheduled in 2012

2011-11-30T00:09:00.001+07:00

Antara News, Tue, November 29 2011

RelatedNews

Illustration of geothermal project.
(ANTARA files/Ujang Zaelani)

Padang Aro,West Sumatra (ANTARA News) - The geothermal drilling in Solok Selatan, WestSumatra, which will be utilized as power plant by PT Supreme Energy wasscheduled in 2012.

"Underthe contract, the geothermal drilling in Solok Selatan will be carried out inthe first quarter of 2012 with an initial plan of seven points in Pekonina,Pauh Duo sub-district," head of the Solok Selatan energy and mineralresources agency Yulian Efi said in the company of energy section chiefZilhamri said in Padang Aro on Tuesday.

Yulian saidright now Supreme Energy with the assistance of the regional administration isopening 70 hectares of land which would be continued by road construction.

"Wehope that in the five years of explorations, PLN would provide powersmoothly," he said.

He saidunder the mining working area issued by the energy and mineral resourcesminister in 2009, the geothermal power which would be produced in Solok Selatanwould reach 400 megawatts, while the geohermal area in Liki Pinangawan wouldreach 62,300 hectares.

In themeantime, according to the result of the initial survey by PT Supreme Energyand the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) in 2008, there were 30 pointsstretching from Balun, Koto Parik Gadang Diateh sub-district to LikiPinangawan, Pauh Duo sub-district, of geothermal power in Solok Selatan with acapacity of 600 megawatts.

Yulian alsosaid that PT Supreme Energy planned to produce 1,120 megawatts of power in 2014and 2015, and 110 megawatts in the first stage. And in the following yearproduction will reach 110 megawatts.

"Underthe contract, the power which will be produced reached 2x110 megawatts in 30years," he said.

He said inDecember or January 2012, the Solok Selatan administration will introduce thedevelopment of geothermal power into electric power to the general public.

BesidesSolok Selatan, the potential of geothermal power in West Sumatra covers sevenregencies, including Pasaman, Solok, Pasaman Barat, Limapuluh Kota, Tanahdatar,Agam or 17 points producing electricity of 1,656 megawatts.

Editor: Priyambodo RH

9 bridges in East Java in critical condition

2011-11-29T18:52:00.001+07:00

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta, Tue, 11/29/2011

Ninebridges in East Java are in critical condition, according to a national roadconstruction and maintenance unit.

East JavaPublic Works Agency’s Bina Marga unit chief, M. Dachlan, said that the bridgesincluded Porong Bridge in Sidoarjo, Semampir Bridge in Kediri, Kali BrantasBridge and Lespadan Kali Brantas Bridge in Nganjuk, Gadjahmada Bridge inMojokerto, Wringinanom Bridge in Probolinggo and Sembayat Bridge in Gresik.

Dachlansaid that the East Java administration had set aside Rp 10 billion (US$1.09million) to investigate and repair the bridges.

“The fundscome from the central government as the bridges belong to them. But we willalso disburse funds for minor maintenance work,” Dachlan said Tuesday as quotedby tempo.co.

Dachlanpointed out that the Lapindo mudflow in Sidoarjo had caused land subsidence,which went on to cause cracks in the bridge’s construction.

Most of thebridges were in critical condition because of foundation displacement, he said.

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Indonesia Works To Secure Lead in "Ring of Fire" Geothermal Market

2011-11-02T23:03:00.001+07:00

Renewable Energy World, By Ivan Castano, Contributor , November 2, 2011

Jakarta,Indonesia -- Indonesia is aggressively moving to build up its geothermalindustry with plans add as much as 9,000 MW of installed capacity by 2025.However, industry observers say the Southeast Asian country's government mustdo more to attract foreign investment if it wants to achieve that target.

"Thetenders are out there, they just need the investors to come in," says PaulBrophy, president and chief executive of geothermal consultancy GES, which isworking with the Indonesian government to help boost foreign investment anddevelop the geothermal industry. "So far, some 20 to 30 concessions havebeen issued so there is still lots of room for new companies to come in anddevelop the resources."

Industryobservers say Indonesia, with the world's highest number of active volcanoes,has the greatest geothermal potential in the so-called Ring of Fire volcanicregion straddling the country as well as New Zealand, Philippines, Japan andthe Eastern part of Russia. Of all those countries, Indonesia, Philippines andJapan have the strongest development potential, observers say.

However,Indonesia has more volcanic "hot spots" (some 265) and a moreaggressive development scheme than the other countries. Developers are usingthese hot spots to drill holes that can produce steam from volcanic energy. Sofar, Chevron is the leading foreign developer in the sector but othersincluding Indian industrial conglomerate Tata, Shell, Canada's RaserTechnologies and Australia's Origin Energy are also looking to set upgeothermal plants.

InvestmentChallenge

Brophy saidthe biggest stumbling block in the way to Indonesia's development dream is adearth of foreign investment as the government does not want to finance the9,000-MW build-up, estimated to cost $30 billion, on its own.

To do this,the government recently issued a law that would allow foreign developers topursue their own projects as long as an Indonesian player receives a fivepercent stake in them. To meet this requirement, international developers mustset up consortiums that include at least one Indonesian company, Brophy explained,adding that he thinks that the law will boost investment. This is becausebefore, foreign companies were mostly restricted to partner with state energygroup Pertamina if they wanted to build a geothermal project in Indonesia.

"Theydon't need to partner with Peternina anymore. They can go on their own as longas an Indonesian player has at least five percent equity in the project,"adds one industry observer.

JenniferDerstine, a renewable energy analyst at the U.S. Department of Commerce's internationaltrade mission, agrees that the government is working to attract moreinternational players. She adds that when the department of commerce launched ageothermal trade mission two years ago, the investment framework banned foreigncompanies from pursuing small geothermal projects on their own. However, thatis now allowed and is expected to bolster interest from U.S. and other foreigncompanies to roll out projects.

"Thelaw had reserved smaller-size development permits of geothermal plants under 10MW for Indonesian companies. Now, the market is open to U.S. geothermaldevelopers and investors," says Derstine.

"Uncompetitive"Tariffs

However,echoing other views, she says tariffs are still too low to make geothermalprojects competitive. Brophy saysJakarta is also working to address this issue. State electricity company PLNrecently established a U.S. $0.097 feed-in tariff per kilowatt-hour (kWh) forgeothermal plants, but the region is wiling to negotiate a higher price forprojects located far from the power grid. However, some investors are concernedabout whether debt-ridden PLN will ultimately be able to pay those prices asstate coffers are already burdened with high subsidies for the energy sector,observers say.

Becausebuilding geothermal plants is expensive, with the ultimate capacity that can beextracted from them, uncertain, developers are looking for the highest possibletariffs and assurances that the projects will be profitable before jumping intothe market. Brophy adds that the government is aware that tariffs must be morecompetitive and that it is likely to shift some traditional power subsidiesinto renewable energy to develop the geothermal space as well as other greentechnologies.

TheIndonesian tariff is lower than in the U.S. where developers are paid $0.10 to$0.12 per kWh. Development costs are much lower in Indonesia, however, Brophysays.

If all goeswell — and barring a prolonged and deeper global recession — Brophy hopesIndonesia will be able to attract enough foreign money to meet its 2025geothermal targets, which could ultimately make the country the world's biggestproducer of geothermal power. But it will need to watch over rivals like thePhilippines and Japan. The former is looking to install 3,000 MW by 2020, upfrom 1.95 MW now. And as it moves to diversify its energy matrix following itsrecent nuclear disaster, Japan could also draft ambitious plans to develop its"vast" geothermal resources, Derstine adds.

For now, eyes are on Indonesia as a potential leader in geothermal energy as long as it can get the funds it needs to meet its ambitious development targets.

Hydro energy: not so sexy yet still reliable

2011-10-17T20:05:00.000+07:00

Rangga DFadillah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 10/17/2011

Austria-basedhydro energy developer Andritz Hydro suggested that the government,businesspeople and energy consumers in Indonesia pay more attention to thefuture development of hydro energy sources.

Companypresident director Josef M. Ulmer said Monday that the country had abundanthydro energy potential, around 78,000 megawatts (MW), but as of todayutilization still stood at only around 4,500 MW.

“Hydro isthe old lady of renewable energy. It’s not as sexy as solar energy, but it isone of the most reliable sources of energy, including in Indonesia,” he toldreporters at a press conference on the sidelines of the World Renewable EnergyCongress in Nusa Dua, Bali.

With acurrent electrification ratio of about 70 percent, hydro energy could be one ofthe best options for providing access to electricity in certain regions of thecountry, he said, adding that the future of hydro energy was very encouraging.

As reportedearlier, the government and state electricity utility PLN were preparing theconcept for the third phase of the 10,000 MW fast-track program. During thisphase, most new power plants would use water for generating electricity.

Companies, households use Malang dam as garbage dump

2011-10-17T15:25:00.000+07:00

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta, Mon, 10/17/2011

Negligenceand a lack of supervision has led Sengguruh dam in the East Java town of Malangto be used as a waste disposal site for household garbage and industrial waste,state water firm Perum Jasa Tirta says.

“Besidesthe industrial waste from the hundreds of companies, there has been a hugevolume of household waste — about 20 to 30 cubic meters a day during the dryseason, and up to 80 cubic meters a day during the rainy season,” Jasa Tirtaspokesman Tri Hardjono said in Malang on Monday as quoted by Antara.

Tri addedthat the waste not only contaminated the water in the dam, but also made itshallower, obliging local authorities to dredge the dam every year as the localpower plant relies on it for water.

PLN to pay more to renewable energy producers

2011-10-13T16:19:00.000+07:00

Rangga D.Fadillah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta, Thu, 10/13/2011

Thegovernment, state electricity firm PT PLN and businesspeople have agreed toincrease fees paid for power produced from biomass, biogas and city waste.

Thegovernment hopes this breakthrough can make investment in the sector moreappealing, the new, renewable energy and energy conservation director generalat the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, Kardaya Warnika, said Thursday.

Accordingto a 2009 ministerial decree on electricity rates, PLN is obliged to buy powerproduced from biomass, biogas and city waste (connected to the medium voltage)at Rp 656 per kilowatt hour (kWh) in Java and Bali, Rp 787 per kWh in Sumatraand Sulawesi, Rp 853 per kWh in Kalimantan, West Nusa Tenggara and East NusaTenggara and Rp 984 kWh in Maluku and Papua.

Forelectricity connected to the low-voltage grid, the prices are Rp 1,004 per kWhin Java and Bali, Rp 1,205 per kWh in Sumatra and Sulawesi, Rp 1,305 per kWh inKalimantan, West Nusa Tenggara and East Nusa Tenggara and Rp 1,506 in Malukuand Papua.

Under thenew agreement, in Java and Bali, PLN will pay Rp 945 per kWh for power producedfrom biomass and biogas, Rp 1,050 per kWh for power produced from city wasteusing zero-waste technology and Rp 850 per kWh for power generated usinglandfill.

InKalimantan, Sulawesi, West Nusa Tenggara and East Nusa Tenggara PLN will nowpay Rp 1,170, Rp 1,260 and Rp 1,020 perkWh. Meanwhile, in Maluku and Papua, PLN has agreed to pay Rp 1,267.5, Rp 1,365and Rp 1,105 per kWh.

“The pricechange will be included into the revision of the 2009 ministerial decree onelectricity rates,” Kardaya said during a discussion at his office in Jakarta.

Jakarta to build 13 artificial lakes in 2012

2011-10-06T15:32:00.000+07:00

The Jakarta Post, Thu, 10/06/2011

Apart fromcompleting the construction of the East Flood Canal, Jakarta Administration hasannounced plans to build 13 artificial lakes in efforts to cope with annualflooding in the capital.

“We arestill in the land acquisition process, and the construction work will becarried out in stages,” Jakarta Public Works Agency natural resourcesmanagement chief Fakhrurrazi said Wednesday as quoted by kompas.com.

He addedthat the lakes, the construction of which is expected to begin in 2012, wouldbe built in several locations including Jagakarsa, Bintaro, Lebak Bulus andMarunda.

Fakhrurrazisaid the agency would also propose a budget for policing and dredging thelakes, in addition to building lanes around them to prevent citizens to frombuilding houses on their banks.

Almost 500 villages facing water scarcity

2011-09-14T21:53:00.000+07:00

The Jakarta Post, Wed, 09/14/2011

Almost 500villages throughout the nation are facing a water scarcity due to the longdrought season, says the Public Works Ministry.

Thevillages spread in Java, Bali, West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara, SouthSulawesi and West Sulawesi.

The PublicWorks Ministry said it would develop drinking water system in 153 the troubledvillages.

Theministry also mobilized a mobile water processing installation and 140 units ofwater tank cars to refill 280 public hydrants in the villages.

“We aretrying to refine sea water in Sampang, Madura with a capacity of 10 liters persecond,” said Director of Drinking Water at the Public Works Ministry DannySutjiono as quoted by kompas.com on Wednesday.

However, hesaid the cost for such a refinery system was higher than refining river water.

Ministry eyes desalination technology to mitigate potential water crisis

2011-09-04T20:12:00.001+07:00

The Jakarta Post, Sun, 09/04/2011

TheMaritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry has developed sea water desalinationtechnology to convert sea water into fresh water to cope with the possibilityof a water crisis.

“Making mineralwater from the sea is a strategic step in anticipating the possibility of aclean water crisis in the future,” Maritime Affairs and Fisheries MinisterFadel Muhammad said on Saturday, as reported by kompas.com.

Thedesalinated water could be a pivotal shift in fresh water supplies. The processcould also produce salt.

Accordingto the ministry, Indonesia has several potential locations where thistechnology could be developed. The areas include Nusa Penida and Gondol inBali, Lombok Strait in West Nusa Tenggara, Biak Island in Papua and PelabuhanRatu in West Java.

Around 70percent, or 5.8 million kilometers, of Indonesian territory is comprised ofwater.

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Dam collapse leaves East Jakarta dry

2011-09-01T15:25:00.000+07:00

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta, Thu, 09/01/2011

Sixtypercent of private water company PT PAM Lyonnaise (Palyja) customers have beenwithout water since the Buaran dam in Duren Sawit, East Jakarta collapsedWednesday night.

"Thewater supply will return to normal after [the damage] is fixed," Palyjaspokesperson Meyritha Maryanie said on Thursday.

Palyja wasnegotiating for an additional water supply from Tangerang and from anotherprivate water operator, PT Aetra, she said.

However,Tangerang could supply only 10 to 20 percent of the municipality’s needs, whilea permit from city water manager PT PAM Jaya was needed for PT Aetra to deliverwater to East Jakarta.

"Oncethe permit from PAM Jaya has been issued, clean water will be immediatelychanneled to customers within a few hours," Meyrita added, as reported bytempointeraktif.com.

The damcollapsed after it began to leak on Wednesday night.

Buaran Damcollapse cuts water supply to 60 percent of customers

The recentcollapse of the Buaran dam in Duren Sawit, East Jakarta, has cut the watersupply to around 60 percent of PT PAM Lyonnaise Jaya (Palyja) customers sincemidnight, the company says.

"Thewater supply will return to normal once [the damage] is fixed," Meyrithasaid.

She addedthat the company was seeking to supplement its water supply with water fromTangerang, and was also working with PT Aetra water company.

However,water from Tangerang may only reach 10 to 20 percent of those who need it,Meythan what is needed and a permit from city water operator PT PAM Jaya wasrequired for PT Aetra to take over the supplying of water.

"Ifthe permit from PAM Jaya has been issued, clean water supply will beimmediately channeled to customers within a few hours," Meyrita added.

The Buarandam wall collapsed started from a leak on Wednesday night which increasinglyworsened.

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City Administration to Turn Trash Into Power at Three New Facilities

2011-08-11T15:31:00.001+07:00

Jakarta Globe, Dofa Fasila| August 11, 2011

Relatedarticles

The Jakartaadministration is planning to build three treatment centers that will use wasteto generate energy, Governor Fauzi Bowo said on Wednesday.

“What wewant is to turn waste to energy, and this process has already begun,” Fauzisaid.

The CakungCilincing intermediate treatment facility in North Jakarta, which beganoperating on Aug. 1., uses mechanical and biological technology to recycleinorganic waste and to ferment organic waste to produce gas that can be used asfuel. After processing, the waste is then sent to a landfill.

Thetreatment center will be able to process 400 tons of waste daily until the endof the year and 600 tons daily from January. It will reach its full capacity of1,300 tons in July next year, he said.

Whenrunning at full capacity, the Cakung Cilincing ITF will be able to produce 4.95megawatts of electricity, or 445,669 million metric British thermal units ofgas fuel.

Fauzi saidthat the two other intermediate treatment facilities, would be built in Sunterand Marunda, both in North Jakarta, before the end of the year.

Theexisting Sunter waste facility, which sits on five hectares of land, will beupgraded into an ITF, Fauzi said.

“We aregoing to enhance the technology at the Sunter processing station into an ITF,”Fauzi said. “The city sanitation office will cooperate with private sectorcompanies interested in investing.”

The SunterITF, Fauzi said, would use technology based on an incinerator that would becapable of reducing the volume of waste by 90 percent, producing a large amountof electricity and significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

EkoBharuna, head of the Jakarta Sanitation Office, said the Sunter project wouldbe tendered in September.

“We areinvolving the private sector under a build, own, operate and transferarrangement,” Eko said. “We have chosen this option so as not to burden theregional budget.”

“Besidesbuilding the various intermediate waste processing facilities that are capableof handling large amounts of waste, the city administration will also developreuse, reduce, and recycle centers [Sentra 3R] in Jakarta’s fivemunicipalities,” Fauzi said.

“In thefuture, all regional developers will have to build their own waste processingfacilities,” he added.

He saidthat several developers, including Pantai Indah Kapuk, had already agreed tobuild 3R centers in their estates. Pantai Kapuk Indah’s 3R center would useintegrated dry anaerobic digestion and composting technology and would be builtin cooperation with a private investor and the Tsu Chi Buddhist Foundation, hesaid.

“The wasteat PIK will be processed into electricity and compost,” Fauzi said. “The maindifference with the ITF is that the 3R center will have a much smallercapacity, of around 250 tons.”

Another 3Rcenter planned for Pesanggrahan, South Jakarta, will be built with theassistance of the Public Works Office’s environmental sanitation unit, he said.

Fauzi addedthat the city administration would not go ahead with a plan to build anintegrated waste processing plant in Ciangir, in Legok district, Tangerang. Thedecision came after Tangerang authorities zoned the Ciangir area forresidential purposes.

The cityhad purchased an area of 96 hectares in Ciangir and an environmental impactstudy was conducted in 1999.

Fauzi saidthat while the Tangerang administration had proposed a land swap, suggesting anarea in Jatiwangi, closer to Jakarta, the city authorities preferred to developthe Ciangir land into residential estate in line with the new zoningrequirements.

With theCiangir ITF center scrapped, he said, the city would now have to rely on thethree planned ITFs.

“With thesethree ITFs and the Bantar Gebang landfill, Jakarta’s waste problem will besolved for the next decade, as their cumulative processing capacity will bemore than 8,000 tons per day,” he said.

Operations Begin for New Bali Plant To Purify Sewage Into Usable Water

2011-08-11T15:24:00.001+07:00

Jakarta Globe, Made Arya Kencana, August 11, 2011

Denpasar.Bali officially began operations at a water purification facility on Wednesdaythat turns treated sewage into clean, usable water.

“TheBalinese people are worried about predictions that the island will suffer froma water crisis in 2015,” provincial regional secretary Made Jendra said at theplant’s opening. “This, at least, will be alleviated by the operation of thisfacility.”

Jendra saidthe treatment plant, which was a joint project of the central government,Denpasar administration, Badung district government and Japan InternationalCooperation Agency, would be able to produce 9,000 cubic meters of clean waterevery day, or more than 100 liters per second.

While thatfigure was far from the estimated 1,500 liters per second needed to avert awater crisis in 2015, he said clean water production would hopefully growfurther with the completion of a sewage network project.

GoroYasuda, director for overseas projects at Japan’s Ministry of Land,Infrastructure, Transportation and Tourism, said Bali would face a water crisisby 2015 because “the need for clean water vastly exceeds the capacity of theregional water company.”

Dewa PuniaAsa, head of Bali’s public works office, said that so far only 8,647 householdsin Denpasar and Badung districts were linked to the first phase of the DenpasarSewage Development Project. Those households are estimated to produce about22,000 cubic meters of liquid waste a day.

A secondphase, expected to be completed in 2014, is targeting 7,200 new connections,mostly hotels and restaurants in the tourist areas of Sanur, Kuta, Legian andSeminyak.

Tjok BagusBudiana, who heads the province’s sewage management service, said the facilitywas designed to process as much as 51,000 cubic meters of liquid waste per day.It is built on a 17.5 hectare plot, 2.5 hectares of which is reserved forreservoirs to hold liquid waste.

He saidhouseholds had to pay a monthly fee of Rp 15,000 to Rp 25,000 ($1.75 to $2.90)to be connected to the network. The fee, he added, would be higher forparticipating businesses.

Dutchman in Kenya: drilling against drought

2011-08-08T15:08:00.001+07:00

RNW, 6 August 2011, by Rob van Dijk

(Foto: Robin Hutton)

To combat Kenya’s drought and famine, a Dutch resident wants to drill new wells, down to 100 metres, four to ten times deeper than most existing ones. “Most shallow wells have dried up. We could start drilling in two or three months.”

Wim van den Burg lives in southeast Kenya, close to the Somali border. In October and November, the “little rainy season”, there was no rain at all, the Dutchman recounts. “If we didn’t get any rain in the ‘big rainy season’ in November, I realised, we’d be in big trouble. And we are.”

No drinking water

There were a few showers in July. By then most of the corn had been scorched. A few stalks yielded shrivelled oars, far too little to feed all the hungry mouths. Worse still, many wells dried up, leaving people with nothing to drink.

Things are bound to get worse, Van den Burg fears, not just in Kenya, but across East Africa. “The next rainy season, the little one, doesn’t begin until October. Even if we get rain then, people won’t be able to harvest their crops until two or three months later.”

Deep down

Van den Burg has been working in Kenya since 1989. “We’ve dug 50 or 60 wells, each 10 to 25 metres deep. Most of them are still working. But in the remote areas the wells are dry.”

To find water, you need to drill further down, he explains. But to get to some 100 metres down you need a special drill, which costs around 60,000 euros. “Such drills also allow you to test the quality of the water, so you know if it’s worth building a well.”

Last weekend he began a drive to raise the money. Once he gets the drill, thousands of starving, thirsty people will again be able to drink and feed themselves.

More information at www.wimvandenburg.nl

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Indonesian Woman Wins ‘Asia’s Nobel Prize’ for Helping Poor

2011-07-28T14:27:00.001+07:00

Jakarta Globe, July 28, 2011

Indonesian social worker Tri Mumpuni, left, pictured at the White House
Summit on Entrepreneurship in Washington in 2010. Tri is among the
winners of Asia’s prestigious Magsaysay award this year for giving green
technologies to the poor, organizers said on Wednesday. (EPA Photo)

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Manila. Indonesian social worker Tri Mumpuni is among the winners of Asia’s prestigious Magsaysay award this year for giving green technologies to the poor, organizers said on Wednesday.

Award foundation president Carmencita Abella said Tri, along with an Indian engineer and a Philippine charity group, had helped harness the technologies to empower their countrymen and worked to create waves of progressive change across Asia.

Each year six people or organizations are named joint winners of the Magsaysay award.

This year the other winners were a man who set up an Islamic school for girls in Indonesia, a lender to India’s poorest, and a man working to restore democracy in Cambodia after the Khmer Rouge murdered his father.

“Working on critical issues ... they are showing how commitment, competence, and collaborative leadership can truly transform individual lives and galvanize community action,” Abella said.

The award, often described as Asia’s Nobel Prize, is named after a famous Philippine president who died in a 1957 plane crash.

It aims to honor people who address issues of human development in Asia with courage and creativity.

Tri Mumpuni, 46, was recognized after her IBEKA foundation built 60 small power plants harnessing the energy of water stored in dams to bring electricity to half a million people, the awards foundation said.

She was once kidnapped with her husband by former separatist rebels in Aceh province while pursuing her nongovernmental group’s project to bring electricity to rural Indonesia.

Another winner was US-trained Indian engineer Harish Hande, 44, for bringing solar lights to a country where half of all households have no electricity, the awards foundation said.

His Solar Electric Light Co.-India has tapped the sun’s energy to light up 120,000 households and is now one of the country’s largest solar technology providers.

In the Philippines, Dutch marine engineer Auke Idzenga’s Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation won for using an ancient, near-forgotten technology, the ram pump, to help impoverished communities on Negros island.

Re-engineered for upland farms, the pump gave the communities clean, cheap water for household use and for raising livestock, fish, and small farms, it said.

A ram pump, which does not need an external power source, harnesses the force of a large body of moving water to pump a small amount of water uphill.

The winners are to receive their awards in Manila on August 31.

Agence France-Presse

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(Photo Auke Idzenga)

Solar lanterns saving lives, lighting up Kenya

2011-07-15T20:38:00.001+07:00

CNN News, by Emily Wither for CNN, July 15, 2011

It’s estimated that around a third Kenyans rely on kerosene lamps for
their lighting needs, but Kenyan company Solanterns is on a mission to
replace one million kerosene lanterns with solar-powered ones.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Around 75% of Kenyans rely on kerosene lamps for their lighting needs
The smoke from kerosene lamps can lead to the development of respiratory illnesses
Solanterns is aiming to replace one million kerosene lanterns with solar-powered ones
The company says that each lantern will reduce CO2 emissions by 135 kilograms

(CNN) -- Every evening thousands of children in Kenya sit down and do their homework by kerosene-powered light.

However, the soot emitted from the burning lamps is not only an environmental hazard but the toxic fumes could be causing children serious harm and putting them at risk of respiratory illnesses.

Alice Njeri lives with her two sisters and their children in a suburb of Nairobi called Kayole. She says the indoor pollution can be difficult to live with.

"The Kerosene lamp emits smoke and gives my children eye problems and the smoke can bring them to tears," she said.

The United Nations Environmental Program says that in rural Kenya more women die of smoke-related illnesses than they do of malaria and tuberculosis. This smoke is from cooking and lighting fuels.

The inflammatory agents in kerosene lamps have been linked with everything from cancer to behavioral deficits. The lamps are also a safety risk as they can be easily knocked over and start fires in the home.

According to the CIA World Fact Book only a quarter of households in Kenya have electricity. It's estimated that around a third of Kenyans rely on kerosene lanterns for their lighting needs.

RELATED TOPICS

One company is on a mission to change this and is aiming to replace one million kerosene lanterns with solar-powered ones.

It's an ambitious project but one that the team feel can really make a difference to people living in rural Kenya who do not have access to electricity.

"The solar lights have a huge impact on health, education, productivity and overall improve the quality of people's lives," said Joseph Nganga from Solanterns, an initiative of Renewable Energy Ventures.

Its lanterns cost around $25 and are powered via a solar panel, which charges a lithium ion battery. Solanterns says it has reached over 1,500 households.

This was partly helped by USAID which bought and distributed 500 lanterns around Nairobi.

But the team still has a long way to go if it is to achieve its goal.

"We hope to expand access to solar lanterns through a wider product offering to meet different consumer needs and budgets," Nganga said.

"Critical to achieving our target of replacing one million kerosene lanterns with one million solar lanterns is consumer awareness," he added.

The company says that each lantern will reduce CO2 emissions by 135 kilograms and save 52 liters of kerosene over its lifetime.

This means that as well as the environmental benefits using solar lamps will save families money on fuel.

The organization estimates that over a three-year period families will save $140 in lighting costs, making solar lamps cheaper than kerosene lamps in the long-run.

Leah also lives in Kayole and has a son in his last year at primary school. She said: "With the way life is right now and high fuel prices I couldn't always manage to buy kerosene.

"Sometimes my child has homework that he couldn't do so the lantern has really helped me."

Solar lighting is also being credited with better grades for school children. According to Solantern's research, over half of children living in households with a solar lantern were able to study an extra two hours a night.

"My child's performance is different now because he could not do homework and study at night with the kerosene lamp," Leah added. "He performs much better now."

As well as using her solar lamp in the home, Njeri says that she uses it on her market stall in the evening. Its makers say it can lead to better sales at fruit and vegetable stands as produce is no longer spoiled by fumes from kerosene lamps.

"My kids tell me not to return to the kerosene lantern but to instead bury it," Njeri said.

Dutch to help build dikes in Indonesia

2011-07-07T01:46:00.003+07:00

RNW, 6 July 2011

The Netherlands is to help with plans for a 36-kilometer dike around the Indonesian coastal city of Jakarta to protect the city from flooding.

Deputy Foreign Minister Ben Knapen has set aside 4 million euros in development aid for the project and two Dutch experts will be sent to help develop the plans. The dike will be build two kilometres into the sea so that land can be reclaimed for urban development.

“This investment in a master plan to protect Jakarta from the sea is a good example of the new development policy in which Dutch knowledge and skills can made a difference,” says Deputy Minister Knapen.

Jakarta is regularly hit by flooding. In 2007 large parts of the city were inundated by several meters of water. At least 18 people drowned and around 300,000 people become homeless. The economic damage was huge; the airport had to be closed as a result. Pumps have been installed as a short term solution and the road to the airport has been raised.

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Energy-efficient stoves clear Pakistan’s air

2011-06-26T17:36:00.002+07:00

RNW, 24 June 2011, by Johan van Slooten

(Photo by AKPBS)

Families in northern Pakistan’s Hindu Kush mountains – subjected to long, harsh winters – have found a better way to heat their homes and cook their meals: A new, simple but efficient cooking stove. It rids the homes of deadly fumes, reduces respiratory illness and even cuts deforestation.

It wasn't long ago that the people in the region were heating their homes with simple wood fires, filling the homes with almost permanent clouds of smoke.

“Later they began to use simple stoves, but they weren’t very efficient either,” says Hadi Hosseini of Pakistan’s Aga Khan Planning and Building Service (AKPBS), a division of the Aga Khan Development Network which aims to improve the lives of people in rural Pakistan.

Illnesses

“You simply couldn’t see across the room because of the smoke. People just didn’t know how to channel the smoke out. This lead to many respiratory illnesses among villagers, especially children, including cancer and asthma. Something had to be done.”

After seeing similar situations in Nepal, the AKPBS designed a new cooking stove. It contains two main elements – one to cook meals on and one to heat the room. It can also be connected to a water tank to heat and cook water faster than was previously possible.

Cold winters

“Women used to go down to the rivers to do their laundry,” says AKPBS’s Qayum Ali Shah, who comes from the region. “Especially during the cold winters, this was particularly dangerous, as they had to bring their young children with them."

"You can imagine what it was like to do your laundry in ice cold circumstances with a baby in tow. The women don’t have to do that anymore. They can now simply wash their clothes at home, using the heated water.”

The improvements also included a heat-efficient chimney and an opening in the roof which can be opened or closed to control airflow.

Traditions

While the design and the benefits of the cooking stove seem obvious, it took AKPBS a while to convince the people to actually use it. “This is a very traditional population,” says Mr Hosseini. “Traditions, even domestic ones, go back centuries. To change them, you have to convince people that the new techniques will improve their lives.”

Mr Hosseini and Mr Shah achieved that by simply travelling around the region, demonstrating the stoves' benefits.

“We’ve engaged the women, we’re working with local entrepreneurs, and we’ve been at roadshows. And the people that we managed to convince have subsequently come along with us to tell others. It’s been a word of mouth promotion.”

Benefits

The benefits of the project go beyond the domestic improvements in people’s homes, Mr Hosseini notes.

“People use wood as fuel. Communities were gathering wood three to four times a week, which lead to massive deforestation in the region, which ultimately leads to a high risk of flooding. Using our stove, people have reduced their fuel wood consumption by 50 to 60 percent. So this simple stove is helping to improve their lives AND the environment.”

It’s this element that was noticed by the prestigious Ashden Awards in the UK, which gives an annual award to small scale sustainable energy projects. The AKPBS received an award earlier this month for improving homes and cutting the use of wood for fuel.

Recognition

“It’s good to get this recognition,” says Mr Hosseini. “We go in with a multi-input program: health, education, rural development. The people there are getting a whole package of improvements. That's not delivered by many stand-alone organizations who only focus on one thing. I think that’s our benefit.”

“We’re offering simple and effective solutions which could also be used elsewhere, even in Western homes. Why not take a step back in our electronic and manufactured approach of cooking? People everywhere could learn a lot from these things.”

'Super sand' to help clean up dirty drinking water

2011-06-24T21:21:00.000+07:00

BBC News, 24 June 2011

The technology could help improve access to clean water in
developing countries

Related Stories

Contaminated water can be cleaned much more effectively using a novel, cheap material, say researchers.

Dubbed "super sand", it could become a low-cost way to purify water in the developing world.

The technology involves coating grains of sand in an oxide of a widely available material called graphite - commonly used as lead in pencils.

The team describes the work in the American Chemical Society journal Applied Materials and Interfaces.

In many countries around the world, access to clean drinking water and sanitation facilities is still limited.

The World Health Organization states that "just 60% of the population in Sub-Saharan African and 50% of the population in Oceania [islands in the tropical Pacific Ocean] use improved sources of drinking-water."

The graphite-coated sand grains might be a solution - especially as people have already used sand to purify water since ancient times.

Coating the sand

But with ordinary sand, filtering techniques can be tricky.

Dr Wei Gao from Rice university in Texas, US, told BBC News that regular coarse sand was a lot less effective than fine sand when water was contaminated with pathogens, organic contaminants and heavy metal ions.

While fine sand is slightly better, water drains through it very slowly.

"Our product combines coarse sand with functional carbon material that could offer higher retention for those pollutants, and at the same time gives good throughput," explained Dr Gao.

She said that the technique the team has developed to make the sand involves dispersing graphite oxide into water and mixing it with regular sand.

"We then heat the whole mixture up to 105C for a couple of hours to evaporate the water, and use the final product - 'coated sand' - to purify polluted water."

Cost-efficient

"Super sand" is made using regular sand - and
it could become a low-cost way to purify water

The lead scientist of the study, Professor Pulickel Ajayan, said it was possible to modify the graphite oxide in order to make it more selective and sensitive to certain pollutants - such as organic contaminants or specific metals in dirty water.

Another team member, Dr Mainak Majumder from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, said it had another advantage - it was cheap.

"This material demonstrates comparable performance to some commercially available activated carbon materials," he said.

"But given that this can be synthesized using room temperature processes and also from cheap graphite sources, it is likely to be cost-efficient."

He pointed out that in Australia many mining companies extract graphite and they produce a lot of graphite-rich waste.

"This waste can be harnessed for water purification," he said.

30% of Indonesians Do Not Use Toilets: First Lady

2011-06-24T14:13:00.000+07:00

Jakarta Globe, June 24, 2011

First Lady Ani Yudhoyono on Friday said that she was very concerned with the low levels of sanitation in Indonesia, citing a survey that states that 30 percent of Indonesian people still do not use toilets to defecate.

“Currently, 30 percent of our people are still doing BAB [defecate] in all the wrong places because of the lack of access to toilets,” Ani said in a speech in front of the participants at 2011 Santitation Jamboree in Jakarta on Friday, as quoted by news portal Detik.com.

According to the National Statistics Bureau (BPS), Indonesia population is more than 237 million, therefore more than 71 million people in the country still do not use toilets.

She said there were regions in Indonesia who were not providing good sanitation.

“If only all regional heads were committed [in providing good sanitation], God Willing, our lives would be more prosperous,” Ani said, adding that it was difficult to find clean water and good sanitation in the suburbs.

“In the suburbs, there are many [people] who defecate in the river,” she said.

Based on the survey, she said, 50 percent of Indonesian people still do not have access to clean water.

“The rest use risky water,” Ani said.

The government is striving to sanitation conditions by focusing on three programs, she said.

The first program is for Indonesian children to use toilets to defecate. The second, more access to clean water for people and the third, to clear water from waste.

“If the river is polluted, all people are at risk of contracting diseases,” she said.

Helping homeowners harness the sun (Google / SolarCity)

2011-06-15T00:05:00.004+07:00

Google Blog, 6/14/11

(Cross-posted on the Official Google Blog)

Imagine sitting on your patio watching the sun’s rays pass overhead, knowing that they power your home with clean energy—at a cost that’s less that what you would have paid using just the grid. That’s what my colleague, engineer Michael Flaster, has been doing at his home in Menlo Park, Calif. since March of this year. He did it with the help of a company called SolarCity, which enables homeowners and businesses to begin using solar energy to power their homes and buildings.

Today, we’re announcing that we’ve investing $280 million to create a fund that will help SolarCity finance more solar installations across the country. This is our largest clean energy project investment to date and brings our total invested in the clean energy sector to more than $680 million. We’ve also launched a partnership to offer SolarCity services to Googlers at a discount.

In SolarCity’s innovative financing model, the company covers installation and maintenance of the system over the life of the lease. You can prepay, or pay nothing upfront after which you make monthly solar lease payments. All told, Michael will save $100 per month on his energy bills this year, and more than $16,000 over his 15 year lease, after factoring in his lease payment and lower energy bills.

We believe the world needs a wide range of clean energy options in the future, each serving different needs. We’ve already invested in several large-scale renewable energy projects, so we’re excited that this new partnership with SolarCity helps people power their homes directly with solar energy, too. We think “distributed” renewable energy (generated and used right at home) is a smart way to use solar photovoltaic (PV) technology to improve our power system since it helps avoid or alleviate distribution constraints on the traditional electricity grid.

Our investment is a quadruple-win for Google, SolarCity, its new customers and the environment. We continue to look for other renewable energy investments that make business sense and help develop and deploy cleaner sources of energy. Whether harnessing the sun on rooftops like Michael’s or in the desert sands of the Mojave, it’s all part of building a clean energy future.

Posted by Rick Needham, Director of Green Business Operations

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512 companies awarded for ‘zero accidents’

2011-06-04T15:37:00.002+07:00

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sat, 06/04/2011

The Manpower and Transmigration Ministry has awarded 512 companies in the country for recording “zero accidents” in their operations this year.

That figure is an increase from the 287 companies that received similar awards last year.

“This indicates improved awareness among employers and workers on applying K3 [safety precautions] in their work environments,” Manpower and Transmigration Minister Muhaimin Iskandar said in a press statement released on Saturday.

Applying K3, he said, helped minimize possible accidents at the workplace, most of which occurred in construction, transportation and mining sectors.

Muhaimin said K3 needed to be continually campaigned on to further reduce work accidents.

“It is part of efforts to draw investment and support national economic development,” he added.

Aru district developing sea water processing technology

2011-05-27T16:49:00.003+07:00

Antara News, Fri, May 27 2011

Ambon, Maluku (ANTARA News) - The Aru Islands District administration in Maluku province is currently developing a technology to process sea water into clean water.

The sea water processing technology is being developed in four villages which have been facing clean water problem so far in the district, head of Aru`s public works department, Ongky Nanulaita, said here on Friday.

He said the application of such a technology has been developed since 2010 by adopting it from Maldives city of Male to ensure the availability of clean and potable l water for the local people`s consumption.

Four villages where the technology is being developed are Kujabi in Aru Tengah Timur sub-district, Marlase in Aru Utara sub-district, Benjina in Aru Tengah sub-district, and Langgarapara in Aru Tengah Selatan sub-district.

"The application of the sea water processing technology in Aru Islands District began with a comparative study in Maldives whose area`s characteristic is the same as that in Aru," Ongky said.

He said it was a new breakthrough in Aru which is mostly made up of low-lying rocky areas.

"With that technology we guarantee the availability of clean healthful water for the local community," Ongky said, adding that the district has lack of water catchment area, except the district town of Dobo.

Thus to maintain the water catchment area in Dobo, Ongky said development of settlement area there should be limited.

Asked if such a technology could also be developed at other villages in the district, Ongky said a careful evaluation was needed to decide if it was possible.

"The application of the technology in the four villages is a pilot project that has to be evaluated to find out if it can be developed as well in other villages," Ongki said.

Editor: Jafar M Sidik

Jakarta, Bandung need quake-proof buildings: Expert

2011-05-16T18:35:00.002+07:00

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 05/16/2011

Jakarta and Bandung need regulations to standardize earthquake-proof buildings to avoid massive casualties should major tremor take place, an expert says.

“We should prepare the buildings as soon as possible so that they would not collapse once earthquake hit the two cities,” said I Wayan Sangara, a member of the Bandung Institute of Technology team tasked to map Indonesia's quake-prone regions.

Such a regulation was currently being discussed by the Public Works Ministry and National Standardization Agency, Wayan said Monday as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.

Earlier, Presidential special staff Andi Arief said Jakarta and Bandung were prone to earthquakes measuring up to 8.7 on the Richter scale, whose epicenter could be in the Sunda Strait.

“But Bandung has a higher exposure to earthquakes than Jakarta,” he added.

Both Jakarta and Bandung have the potential to experience medium-level quakes.

Data shows that most major earthquakes in Indonesia hit the coastal regions of West Sumatra and South Java, while other regions, such as Borneo, Riau Islands province and Batam experience milder quakes.

Dutch hothouses could help solve world food crisis

2011-05-04T01:57:00.001+07:00

RNW, 2 May 2011, by Johan Huizinga

(Photo: RNW)

Dutch hothouses used to have a reputation for wasting energy. But nowadays it’s the most innovative sector in the Netherlands, producing food extremely efficiently using sustainable energy. Even the Chinese are interested.

China, like the Netherlands, does not have enough agricultural land to feed its own population. Dutch intensive greenhouse systems could help increase food production in China.

Professor of greenhouse farming at the Agricultural University of Wageningen Olaf van Kooten explains:

“Cultivation under glass is extremely efficient in its use of water and energy. In the future, we will have to feed around 15 billion people across the world, and this could be a key to the solution.”

Water

Excess warm water is stored
underground (Photo: RNW)

Stef Huisman grows tropical plants and trees for offices. He uses a closed water system. His nursery has trees standing in two to three centimetres of water. Every week, the water is filtered for sand and ultra violet rays and reused.

“That is all the water we need. The rain that falls on the roof is enough to water the plants. We don’t use any ground water.”

Professor Van Kooten thinks this technique could be an important export product.

“If we continue like this, the only water we use will literally be the water in the product. To produce a kilo of tomatoes, you will only need a litre of water.”

Ground heat

Water is pumped from a depth of
three kilometers (Photo: RNW)

The use of the ground heat to heat the greenhouses is just as important. Ted Duijvestijn has drilled a 3-kilometre-deep shaft to heat his tomato greenhouses in Pijnacker. The system pumps salt water which is 75 degrees Celsius upwards to the greenhouses. Once the water cools it is pumped back into the ground, where it reheats again.

The system, which was installed in March, is already making 60 percent savings. Once the electric pumps are powered by his own windmills, the greenhouses will more or less only run on sustainable energy. There will even be excess energy and warm water produced so that greenhouse owners will also become energy suppliers.

LED lighting

Rob Baan uses four colours in
LED-lighting (Photo: RNW)

And then there are the lights which are used to help plants grow. Vegetable grower Rob Baan has replaced his with low-energy LED lights which give exactly the right colour. Next to the greenhouse is a windmill to provide the energy for the LED lights.

In the summer the greenhouses are heated by the sun, producing temperatures above 50 degrees. Excess warmth is used to heat water, which is stored underground for the winter.

No pesticides

Wouldn’t it be easier to cultivate food in regions where no greenhouses are needed. Mr Baan very firmly says “No.”

“There are no insects here. Our greenhouses are either free of insects or we have predators in the greenhouses which eat them. We do not spay pesticides on the plants. Our production methods are becoming more and more sustainable. In the future, these kind of farms will be built close to cities, so that food can be produced locally.”

Meanwhile he has started up his own businesses in the United States and Japan.

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In the Country’s Water Wars, Nuclear Technology Is an Ally

2011-04-24T12:33:00.001+07:00

Jakarta Globe, Ismira Lutfia | April 24, 2011

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The ongoing crisis at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has understandably made most people averse to the idea of anything nuclear.

So it might be surprising to learn that nuclear technology is already being used in Indonesia. Even more surprising, it is being used to maximize the use of water resources.

Wibagyo, from the Center for Isotope and Radiation Technology at the National Nuclear Energy Agency (Batan), said stable and safe nuclear isotopes were being used to determine the volume of available freshwater and groundwater in the country.

The isotopes, he said, are disseminated in the upstream areas of rivers, where there are ample ripples to ensure the perfect mix of isotopes and water.

After the isotopes are dispersed, the water downstream is tested to determine the river’s volume, said Wibagyo, who is the head of the Hydrology and Geothermal Nuclear group at the isotope center, which is also known as Pitir Batan.

“The isotopes are also used to map the flow of underground rivers in caves in areas where the surface is predominantly limestone, such as in Gunung Kidul,” he said, referring to a dry area in Wonosari district in the southern part of Yogyakarta.

This underground mapping is useful in preventing water from being pumped from the streams up on the surface, he added.

In a visit to Indonesia earlier this month, Kwako Aning, the deputy director general for technical cooperation at the International Atomic Energy Agency, said the global nuclear regulator was concentrating on raising awareness of how atomic technology could be useful for water, a resource that is becoming scarcer in many parts of the world.

Aning said that apart from being useful in determining the availability of underground water reserves, stable isotopes could also determine how much reserves had been used.

These isotopes, he added, can also determine the nutrients contained in the water, so that when the water is used for irrigation, the farmers “will not overfertilize their farms.”

A joint study conducted by Batan and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources in the 1990s showed that the common perception that groundwater in Jakarta originated in the Puncak area was incorrect.

“We found out that the water in Jakarta actually comes from the Depok and Cibinong areas,” Wibagyo said.

Nuclear technology opponents have advocated the use of other energy resources such as geothermal instead of the establishment of nuclear power plants. But Wibagyo said that nuclear technology would still have a role to play.

“We’ve used nuclear technology to monitor available water reserves surrounding geothermal vents to determine if there would be a generous supply of water before exploiting the geothermal vents,” Wibagyo said. He added that large water reserves were essential to a geothermal plant’s steam-generating process.

“Geothermal vents would not be exploitable without enough water supplies surrounding them,” he said.

Although nuclear technology is used in almost all aspects of life, the IAEA’s Aning said it had still not gained acceptance with many people because of what he called a “misunderstanding.”

He said the idea of nuclear power being only a destructive force had carried over from the devastating atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II.

“So it is imprinted in our genes that this technology is wrong,” he said, adding that the key to making the best of nuclear technology was to use it securely and safely.

“There should be no problem with it if it is used properly,” he said. “Without safety, this technology is useless, so the key is to use it safely.”

Aning lauded Indonesia for being a pioneer in nuclear technology. The country has used the technology to enhance various sectors such as food, health and water management.

“Indonesia has been ready since decades ago to apply nuclear technology in many fields,” he said.

But he added that in response to the ongoing nuclear crisis in Japan, IAEA member countries were scheduled to convene a ministerial meeting in June to review the standard safety procedures surrounding nuclear technology in their respective countries.

Indonesia’s science and technology attache in Switzerland, Syahril, who was in Indonesia to accompany Aning, said the IAEA hoped Indonesia could take the lead in the region for the innovative and safe application of nuclear technology.

Using Well Water, 4 Factories Raided in East Jakarta

2011-04-20T23:14:00.000+07:00

BERITAJAKARTA.COM — 4/20/2011

To minimize excessive illegal ground water usage, Jakarta Environmental Management Agency (BPLHD) raided four factories which suspected having illegal wells. They are PT. Lion Metal Work, PT. Duta Mega Matra Keramik and PT. Indonesia Acid which located in Jl. Raya Bekasi, Cakung, and PT. Wasa Mitra Engineering in Jl. Raya Cacing, Cakung, East Jakarta.

According to Ridwan Panjaitan, Head of Law Enforcement for BPLHD who is also the raid leader, the factories raided because they still not use piped water (PAM) even though its pipelines already exist in the area. From the investigation conducted, PT. Lion Metal Work was found only have one well with the capacity of 386 cubic. In the permit, the ground water should be used only as water reserve, but based on investigation result on the field it is used as the main source. "This investigation usually takes one week,” he said, Wednesday (4/20).

Other companies also have wells. PT. Duta Mega Matra Keramik has two wells with each capacity 381 cubic and 23 cubic, PT. Wasa Mitra Engineering has one well with capacity 386 cubic, and PT. Indonesia Acid has three wells with each capacity 392 cubic, 338 cubic and 260 cubic. "Ideally, they should’ve use PAM water, because continues using of ground water will cause negative impact," he said.

Cheating that usually happens on the field is a company made well but without BPLHD permission. Sometimes, the water meter PAM installed is tricked with certain objects so the meter does not run as it should be but the water still flows normally. Moreover, the meter seal is also destructed. "This control is to optimize water PAM usage and suppress ground water (ABT) abuse that is not in accordance with the regulation exists," he stated.

Based on Jakarta BPLHD 2009-2010 data, there were 122 business activity locations given a warning, 44 sealed, and 72 concreted. There were also Rp 4.9 billion civil sanctions for 12 business activity locations because they use water ground without any permission and did not pay the tax. Even, four laundry companies were sanctioned by West Jakarta District Court and fined Rp 15 million each with subsidiary four months confinement.

While in 2011, BPLHD has conducted supervision on 117 locations until March. From that amount, 28 of them sealed and 9 concreted.

Award-Winning Indonesian Conservationist Says Children Victims of Pollution

2011-04-13T21:03:00.003+07:00

Jakarta Globe, April 13, 2011

Prigi Arisandi, 35, examining polluted water from the Brantas river in Surabaya,
East Java. The biologist who enlisted schoolchildren in his fight to clean up
an Indonesian river and received an international prize for his efforts says he hopes
young people will do more for the environment. (Reuters Phoito/Sigit Pamungkas)

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Surabaya. A biologist who enlisted schoolchildren in his fight to clean up an Indonesian river that led to an international prize said he hoped young people will do more for the environment.

Student research into a 41 kilometer stretch of the Surabaya river that flows through Surabaya, Indonesia’s second-largest city, prompted 35-year-old Prigi Arisandi into discoveries that helped him become one of six winners of this year’s Goldman Environmental Prize, the world’s largest award for grassroots environmentalists.

Arisandi found that the river, which provides water for 3 million and is also used for bathing by people living along its banks, was contaminated with high levels of toxic effluent.

Recently, mercury levels were found to be 100 times the limit set by the World Health Organization.

He and other activists created the first environmental education programme in the region in 2000 to educate local communities about biodiversity and water pollution, teaching students about the dangers and using them to spread the word.

“These students are the victims of pollution,” Arisandi told Reuters at his Surabaya office last week, in an embargoed interview.

“We place these children as agents of change ... We bring them to the river and there are already thousands of children that we have trained.” Arisandi and other activists have also taken legal action to stop companies from polluting the river and won a case against East Java’s governor, who was ordered to reduce pollution.

The $150,000 prize, named after husband and wife philanthropists from San Francisco, honours individuals for sustained efforts to protect the natural environment, “often at great personal risk,” according to the prize’s Web site.

The other 2011 winners are from the United States, Zimbabwe, Germany, Russia and El Salvador.

Reuters

Regional governments should ban shallow groundwater use

2011-04-12T23:47:00.000+07:00

Antara News, Tue, April 12 2011

Related News

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Regional governments should have the gut to ban the usage of shallow groundwater use by industries in areas that have been served by the Regional Drinking Water Supply Companies (PDAMs), an official said.

(ANTARA Photo/Lucky.R)

"The regional governments must be firmed, otherwise the environment will be damaged because the overuse of shallow groundwater," Director General of the public works ministry`s Construction Company Budi Yuwono said here Tuesday.

The uncontrolled use of shallow groundwater in Jakarta has caused the ground level to go lower and seawater intrusion, he said.

The ground`s aquifer ability, especially at a depth of less than 30 meters needed hundreds of years to recover, he said.

The overuse of shallow groundwater by industries is dangerous because it could cause floods, he said.

Editor: Priyambodo RH

South Korea's Daewoo, Hyundai win 2 hydro power plant projects

2011-04-12T22:14:00.004+07:00

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 04/12/2011

South Korea's Daewoo Engineering & Construction Co. won a bid for a 60-megawatt hydro power plant construction project worth Rp 2.5 trillion (US$290 million).

“The hydro power plant will be built in North Sumatra,” Dahlan Iskan, president director of state electricity company PT PLN, which held the bid, said Tuesday.

Dahlan said another Korean company, Hyundai Engineering, along with Indonesia's state construction firm PT Pembangunan Perumahan, won another bid for a hydro power plant project in Aceh, with a planned production capacity of 89 megawatts.

The two power plants are expected to be completed in 2013, kontan.co.id reported.

President orders evaluation of oil plants safety

2011-04-12T22:01:00.001+07:00

Antara News, Tue, April 12 2011

"The president has also asked that evaluation should be carried out at all oil refineries, particularly in term of safety operation standards."

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Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has ordered the evaluation of safety measures at all oil refinery plants throughout Indonesia following the outbreak of fire at Pertamina oil tanks in Cilacap, Central Java.

Fire at Pertamina oil tanks
in Cilacap, Central Java.
(ANTARA Photo/Idhad Zakaria)

Chief Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa, at the presidential office, said on Tuesday that the president had asked that the procedures and operation safety standards at all oil refinery pants in Indonesia be fulfilled.

Apart from that each of the country`s refinery plant should have procedures and operation standards in the handling of fire and other accidents with a fast fire extinguishing system.

"Now the state-owned oil firm Pertamina is conducting a thorough evaluation because the president has also asked that evaluation should be carried out at all oil refineries, particularly in term of safety operation standards," the minister said.

Minister Hatta Rajasa said that he had not yet received any report on the result of the investigation into the outbreak of fire at Pertamina`s oil tanks in Cilacap, Central Java.

Thus, the amount of losses has yet to be known, he added.

A fire broke out in state oil company Pertamina Refinery Unit (RU) complex IV in Cilacap, Central Java, late last month.

The fire gutting the oil tank 31 T-02 of Pertamina refinery unit complex IV spread to another tank. The fire had gutted the second tank in the eastern part of 31 T-02 tank.

Spokesman of Pertamina`s Cilacap refinery, Kurdi Susanto, said the burned 31 T-02 tank contained the high Octane Motor Gasoline Component.

"Other tanks near tank 31 T-02 contain kerosene but they have been emptied and cooled down," he said.

The fire itself did not disrupt Pertamina`s fuel production in its Cilacap refinery, he said.

Editor: Priyambodo RH

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PLN objects to World Bank`s review

2011-04-12T02:16:00.002+07:00

Antara News, Tue, April 12 2011

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Surabaya, E Java (ANTARA News) - The state-run power company PT PLN objected to the World Bank`s review and assessment on its low reliability of power distribution in East Java which forced many companies to use diesel generators.

"We object to the assessment and recommendations because today`s PLN is better than two years ago," said a spokesperson for East Java PLN distribution, M Tabrani Mahmudsyah here Monday,

Data on power blackouts are mentioned in the World Bank`s research on "East Java Economic Growth Diagnose" conveyed by panelist Gregorius DV Pattinasarani at East Java Development Planning Board Monday.

The research showed that the power disruption occurs 3.34 times per customer with up to 174.38 minutes per customer in 2008.

Based on facts, the World Banks concludes that East Java`s energy availability is not enough to meet prime services.

Tabrani confirmed the data but he said that the World Bank must also expose their latest data which mentioned that in 2010, electrical blackouts occurred up to 2.8 times per customer with 100.91 minutes per customer.

"Therefore our company experience a major service quality improvement and the World Bank must be fair in its assessment," he said.

Tabrani said that the World Bank review is not only to affect the company`s name but also neglecting the PLN East Java`s hard work.

East Java`s economic growth in 2010 reached 6.7 percent, and PLN performance growth is always higher than economic growth, he said.

The recent installed energy capacity at the East Java distribution area reaches 7.000 megawatts with a maximum peak load of 3.916 megawatts.

Editor: B Kunto Wibisono

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An illiterate Farmer designs a Water Mill to generate Electricity

2011-04-08T16:38:00.002+07:00

The Better India, By NK Suprabha

Siddappa, an illiterate farmer from Somapur village in Gadag district of Karnataka, has designed a water mill to generate electricity. Right from conceptualizing to materialisation, the farmer has done everything on his own. He operates the water mill in the canal near his house.

Using timbers, Siddappa prepared a giant wheel that joined at a central hub. There are eight arms, five feet each, extending from the central hub. A plastic bucket is dangled at the tip of each arm. When the water from two pipes gushes into one of the buckets, it generates the pressure that turns the 10-feet wheel in an anti-clockwise motion. The bucket could also be spun in the horizontal plane using a central steering wheel, similar to a teacup ride. As one after another bucket is driven by the flowing water, the first arm declines back to the ground while the other rises in the air. This process spins the black wheel attached to this giant wheel. The spinning black wheel rotates another wheel connected to a dynamo.

A converter converts the Direct Current from the dynamo into Alternating Current. Siddappa claims to have spent a mere Rs 5000 on building the entire apparatus. This is his second attempt to show the villagers that anybody can produce electricity for self-consumption using the resources at hand. “Many people who have canals flowing near their villages don’t know how to use that natural gift. I want to show them all practically that electricity problems can be solved by being creative. There is no need to beg to the government for everything,” he says.

He gets 150 watts of power from this water mill when water flows in the canal. Siddappa claims he can create electricity for the entire village through his machine. But the problem is that the canal in his village flows only for three months a year!

This article originally appeared in The Sunday Indian (TSI) magazine and has been reproduced here as part of an arrangement between The Better India and TSI. The author, Suprabha Naik is a correspondent with the Kannada Bureau of TSI. Read previous article of this author here.

Readers: If you know of any such ideas/people that you believe we should feature here, please mail to contact [at] thebetterindia.com.

PLN to install solar panels for 340,000 customers

2011-04-08T15:19:00.007+07:00

Rangga D. Fadillah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 04/08/2011

State electricity utility PT PLN has targeted to install solar panels for 340,000 new customers in eastern Indonesia this year with a total investment of around Rp 1.2 trillion (US$138.76 million), a senior official reveals.

PLN operational director for eastern Indonesia Vickner Sinaga said Friday that using solar panels was the best solution to provide electricity to people living in less developed areas in the eastern part of the country.

“By using solar panels, customers only need to pay Rp 35,000 per month to PLN. The price is cheaper compared to Rp 90,000 each family has to spend per month to buy kerosene for petromax lamps,” he told reporters at a media briefing at his office in Jakarta.

Currently, 1,234 customers in eastern Indonesia use solar panels in their houses, Vickner said. New customers should not worry about funds to buy the solar panels because PLN would provide them free of charge, he added.

“The price of a solar panel package is Rp 3.5 million comprising the panel, pipes, cables and three lamps. PLN will provide customers with the package,” he explained.

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River dike collapses inundating hundreds of houses

2011-04-04T01:08:00.001+07:00

Antara News, Sun, April 3 2011

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Langkat, N Sumatra (ANTARA News) - A river bank in Padang Tualang sub-district, Langkat regency, North Sumatra, collapsed causing inundation of hundreds of houses and hundreds of others facing potential flooding.

"The dike in Cucukan river, Tanjung Putus village, Padang Tualang sub-district, collapsed last night," Erdiyanto, Tanjung Putus village head said Sunday.

He said the damage on the river dike became worse in the morning hours due to the strong Cucukan river flow as the result of constant hard rain in the last couple of days.

Cucukan is an estuary of Batang Serangan, having its upper reaches in the Gunung Lauser National Park, he said.

Erdiyanto also said that hundreds of houses of villagers had been inundated, so were many of their farmland and plantations.

Editor: Jafar M Sidik

Explosion at Pertamina refinery heard 8 kilometers away

2011-04-02T15:29:00.006+07:00

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sat, 04/02/2011

Great balls of fire: State oil firm PT Pertamina’s refinery in Central Java town
of Cilacap exploded on Saturday. Pertamina is still investigating the cause|
but said there were no fatalities. (Antara/Idhad Zakaria)

The sound of an explosion at the Pertamina Refinery Unit IV in Cilacap, Central Java was heard up to 8 kilometers from the incident.

Fire engulfed an oil refinery owned by state oil firm PT Pertamina on Saturday morning

A resident, whose house is located around 8 kilometers from the refinery, said she heard an explosion at around 4:30 a.m.

“I heard a sound like thunder that startled me,” Martinie Susanty said.

However, most residents did not panic because they slept through it. “We only learned of the explosion at Pertamina at 5 a.m. The place was lit up,” Martinie added as reported by tribunnews.com.

The refinery was still belching plumes of smoke at the time of writing.

“There is a large amount of black smoke protruding from the refinery. Flames can be seen also,” Martinie said.

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Pertamina plant in Cilacap on fire, again

Military Helicopters to Help Fight Blaze in Cilacap

Cilacap refinery`s fire has spread to another tank

Pertamina CEO personally monitors Cilacap refinery fire-fighting efforts

Govt to maximize use of new energy

2011-03-30T13:22:00.001+07:00

Antara News, Wed, March 30 2011

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The government will maximize the use of new and renewable energy, especially geothermal, hydro-energy and bio-fuels, before deciding to use nuclear energy.

Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry`s Director General for Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Luluk Sumiarso said here on Tuesday that the use of nuclear energy would be the last option.

"But the last option does not meant that nuclear is not prepared. It will remain being prepared but we are now still maximizing the use of other new and renewable energy such as geothermal, hydro-power, and bio-fuels which have a big potential for development," Luluk said.

According to him, the plan to build nuclear power plants (PLTN) would continue to go ahead with the principle of conformity, readiness, and safety.

"But the use of nuclear energy needs a political decision," Luluk said, adding that the case of nuclear power plant in Fukushima, Japan, would be a lesson for Indonesia.

He also said the government was revising the rules of new and renewable energy utilization in the energy mix that was previously targeted at 17 percent to be 25 percent in 2025.

"The revision of the energy mix is made by including nuclear and non nuclear," Luluk said.

He said the government would also make every effort to speed up the utilization of the new and renewable energy.

Therefore the government is currently carrying out the construction of the second phase 10,000 MW power plant with most of its energy will come from geothermal and hydro-power.

It is the target of the government that the geothermal capacity will increase by 2,000 MW in 2012 and rises to 5,000 MW in 2014 because the the country`s geothermal potential is 29,000 MW.

Luluk said that aside from geothermal energy, his party would also review the development of bio-fuels.

Editor: Suryanto

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World Bank supports Indonesian Water Law

2011-03-28T17:20:00.001+07:00

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 03/28/2011

The World Bank will begin the second phase of a program supporting the Indonesian government’s efforts to strengthen water and food security through managing water resources better.

The Water Resources and Irrigation Sector Management program is expected to directly impact over 500,000 farming households in 100 districts across 14 provinces.

With greater water security, farmers can produce more, earn more and play a part in securing Indonesia’s food supply. To achieve this heightened food security, however, the farmers themselves must play a role in managing local water resources. Indonesian law now stipulates that farmers, district governments and other stakeholders should all participate in managing water resources and the irrigation sector.

“Farmers are typically members of small water-user associations. But once these small groups band together under larger federations with up to 2,000 members, they gain a higher bargaining position with traders and supermarkets and also gain better access to finance,” Paul van Hofwegen, World Bank Senior Water Resources Specialist for Indonesia, said in a release received by The Jakarta Post on Monday.

“In return, these federations need to work together with government agencies on the operations and upkeep of their local water resources. This would include joint planning on water allocation and distribution, repairs and canal cleaning,” he added.

Water-user associations and federations are one of the byproducts of the World Bank’s first phase program in water resources and irrigation sector management, which began in 2003. To date, there are over 1,000 water-user association federations covering over 800,000 hectares of irrigated areas.

The first phase of the program was designed to help put Indonesia’s 2004 Water Law into action, a law which emphasizes decentralization, democracy and transparency. To this end, World Bank support has led to the formation of national and provincial councils to help coordinate among stakeholders in the area of basin water resource management.

Phase two of this program will focus on improving capacity for basin water resource and irrigation management, as well as boosting agricultural productivity in irrigated areas. It will be financed by a $150 million loan approved by the World Bank’s executive board on March 22, 2011.

“Through improved agricultural productivity and water security, the project contributes to economic growth, poverty reduction and food security. Food security is still a concern for the Indonesian government, and the irrigation systems included under the program are the backbone of Indonesia's staple food supply,” says Stefan Koeberle, World Bank Country Director for Indonesia.

The second phase will entail a series of training exercises at district, provincial and central government levels and physical repairs at certain facilities, including the Jatiluhur irrigation system in West Java.

Japan Water Plants Warned Over Radioactive Rain

2011-03-28T16:14:00.005+07:00

Jakarta Globe, March 28, 2011

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Japan’s health ministry has asked water purification plants nationwide to stop taking in rainwater and cover pools with tarpaulins to shield them from radiation from a crippled nuclear plant.

The capital Tokyo and several nearby municipalities last week said they had detected radioactive iodine-138 levels that made their tap water unsafe for infants, although the contamination has dropped off since.

The health ministry warned at the weekend that fresh rainfall could capture radioactive elements that have escaped from the stricken Fukushima plant, and channel them via rivers and dams into drinking water supplies.

“As the radioactive substances increased in Tokyo after rainfalls, the ministry has asked operators of water purification plants nationwide to take possible countermeasures,” a ministry official told AFP Monday.

Steps included “stopping the intake of river water after rain and covering purified water pools with plastic sheets,” the official said.

“The ministry has instructed that such measures be taken only to the extent where they do not disrupt a stable potable water supply.”

The ministry also advised the plants that they can use a powdered carbon substance in the purification process to reduce radioactive materials.

Japan’s meteorological agency forecast that it may snow or rain Tuesday afternoon in parts of Fukushima prefecture, where the tsunami-stricken plant is located, and in neighbouring Ibaraki prefecture.

Agence France-Presse

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Water woes a worry for Indonesia’s big cities

2011-03-23T22:40:00.000+07:00

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 03/23/2011

The rapid growth of Asian cities has not kept pace with the number of people who need clean water and proper sanitation, an expert says.

Densely populated urban areas in Indonesia still face obstacles in providing residents with clean water and adequate sanitation, Hubert Gijzen, the director of Unesco’s office in Jakarta, said on Tuesday.

“Ongoing rapid population increases in cities have impeded efforts to provide proper water and sanitation services for urban people, although progress has been made,” Hubert said.

Hubert made his comments on the sidelines of a discussion titled “Water for Cities: Responding to the Urban Challenges” held by the Public Works Ministry, the UN and the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI).

The discussion was held to celebrate World Water Day, observed on March 22.

According to the UN, the water supply in Indonesia’s rural areas increased to 71 percent last year, up from 62 percent in 1990.

On the contrary, the water supply to urban areas decreased to 89 percent last year, down from 92 percent in 1990, partially attributable to a vast increase in urban dwellers.

Gijzen said that finding innovative solutions to provide clean water was urgent given that the world’s population would top 7 billion later this year, half of whom would be concentrated in cities.

Public Works Minister Joko Kirmanto said urban populations in Indonesia had drastically increased from year to year, resulting in the massive exploitation of land and water resources, as well as increased pollution from household and industrial waste.

“We have developed water catchment areas and drainage systems to provide better access to clean water to urban communities and to protect them from flooding,” he told journalists.

Yet urban residents face unstable water supplies due to the improper use of water resources and massive land conversions. Many water catchment areas have been converted to residences or industrial complex.

Gijzen said developing sustainable urban water management practices required a paradigm shift and innovation.

Citing an example, he said that eco-hydrology was a simple engineering technique that offered an effective way to provide better access to clean water for people living in urban areas.

“It sounds like a difficult term, but eco-hydrology basically tries to intervene in water flows in rivers, lakes, or even in coastal areas, with very simple techniques. It will help water bodies to strengthen their purification activities,” he said.

In the Netherlands, for example, local governments bought land from farmers and developed dykes along the riverbanks. “They can spread out the water inside the rivers. The rivers will be biologically more active,” he said.

LIPI director Lukman Hakim said conventional approaches for managing water resources that focused on technical aspects were not enough to cope with water crises in urban areas.

“We need more sustainable and integrated approaches to preserve water resources,” he said.

Gijzen said that eco-hydrology could not be separated from two other important steps — rational water use and innovative water reuse — desperately needed to improve water management. (ebf)

Nuclear Power Not Needed in Indonesia: PLN

2011-03-23T16:23:00.004+07:00

Jakarta Globe, Ririn Radiawati Kusuma, March 23, 2011

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State Electricity Company (PLN) says it does not need nuclear power plants — yet.

The comments follow a continued effort by the National Nuclear Energy Agency (Batan) to push for the use of nuclear energy in Indonesia despite an international backlash due to the ongoing nuclear disaster in Japan.

“Commercially, Indonesia does not need nuclear power plants yet,” PLN president director Dahlan Iskan told the Jakarta Globe on Wednesday.

He said producing nuclear energy was more expensive than producing electricity from coal and gas.

He said as well as coal and gas, which Indonesia had in abundance, other options included renewable energies, such as hydro and geothermal.

He did, however, say that it would be good for Indonesia to begin preparations for the possibility of using nuclear energy.

Batan is now focusing on the island of Batam as a proposed site for a nuclear power plant. Batam lies uncomfortably close to the major fault line that produced the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.

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2011-03-19T16:24:00.001+07:00

Antara News, Otniel Tamindael, Sat, March 19 2011

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Jakarta, (ANTARA News) - Environmentalists and public activists have launched years of protests, arguing that Indonesia`s soil is too unstable for the building and safe operation of nuclear power plants.

It is because Indonesian`s more than 17,000 islands are scattered along a belt of volcanic and seismic activity, known as the Pacific "Ring of Fire" that makes the country one of the most quake-prone places on the planet.

Despite the nuclear crisis which was touched off by the powerful earthquake and its ensuing devastating tsunami in Japan, Indonesian officials are pushing ahead with plans to build the country`s first nuclear power plants.

But energy expert Lilo Sunaryo said in Semarang, Central Java, on Friday that Indonesia had to learn from the nuclear disaster in Japan and then review its nuclear power plants project.

"Indonesia has to learn from the disaster of reactor nuclear leaks in Japan and review its plan to build nuclear power plants," Lilo Sunaryo said.

Although the people of Japan have sophisticated technology and a high degree of discipline, Lilo said they were still overwhelmed by the nuclear catastrophe.

Even the Japanese government itself has admitted that it was overwhelmed by the scale of last week`s twin natural disasters and the nuclear crisis, triggered by the earthquake and tsunami that claimed more than 10,000 lives.

"Let alone Indonesia which lacks of both technology and discipline. Some countries have even abandoned their nuclear power plants and the rest have reviewed their plans to build such facilities," Lilo said, referring to the Philippines, Malaysia, Spain, and Venezuela.

In the Philippines the mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) has gone unused as the events in Japan have led the country to discard its plans to activate the plant.

A proposal to revive the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant in the Philippines is at least for now dead in the water after partial meltdowns at 2 nuclear reactors in Japan revived fears of a Chernobyl-like disaster.

Meanwhile, former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has said it was better for his country not to have a nuclear power plant.

"You know my view about it. We do not know enough about the reaction of this material," Mahathir was quoted by Bernama as telling to reporters when he was asked for his view on building the nuclear power plant.

In Madrid, AFP reported recently that the Spanish government would review security measures at all its six nuclear power plants in the wake of the disaster in Japan.

"A review of the security systems of all the reactors in the country will take place to learn as many lessons as possible from what happened in Japan," Industry Minister Miguel Sebastian told Spanish Parliament.

According to AFP, Venezuelan President Hugo Chaves in Caracas last Tuesday said he suspended his country`s fledgling nuclear energy program in the wake of nuclear crisis in Japan.

Hugo Chaves said he had directed Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez to freeze the plans they have been advancing, for preliminary studies of a peaceful Venezuelan nuclear program.

"What has happened in the last hours is extremely risky and dangerous for the whole world, because despite the advanced technology that Japan has, just look at what has been happening with some nuclear reactors," Chavez said.

In the light of all these Lilo Sunaryo said it was no longer necessary for Indonesia to have a nuclear power plant.

According to him, a nuclear plant for Indonesia was a dilemma because besides producing energy it also produces hazardous substances with a tendency to create various kinds of diseases.

"The world at present is not in a situation of cold war and therefore the use of alternative energy should be optimized," Lilo said.

He pointed out that alternative energy could be obtained from sun, wind, geothermal, tidal waves, sea currents, and agricultural waste such as dried rice stalks or straw.

"Alternative energy will never be exhausted because nature can always provide it, and so will the energy from agricultural waste from straws so long as the people consume rice, but energy sources such as oil, gas, coal, and uranium would run out sooner or later" he said.

Lilo said Indonesia should not live in high risk with the use of nuclear energy.

"The nuclear power plants will only be profitable for the factory but not for the people at large," Lilo warned.

But ironically Irwan Meilono, a geodesics lecturer at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), said in Bandung on Tuesday that Indonesia should not fear to build its nuclear power plants following the explosion at a similar facility in Fukushima, Japan.

He said Japan`s nuclear reactor blast was caused by an earthquake because most of Japan was quake prone, and although Indonesia suffered frequent earthquake, it still has many quake-free areas in Kalimantan, Bangka-Belitung, and northern parts of Java island.

"In relation to the disaster, Indonesia is predicted to resume the building of a nuclear power plant at by 2018 or 2020," Irwan said.

According to him, Kalimantan, Bangka Belitung and Irian are some regions considered as potential areas to build the nuclear power plants.

The nuclear plans are part of an ambitious proposal by Indonesia

to triple its electricity output by 2025 while weaning itself off imported oil and onto local coal, gas, and renewable and atomic energy.

A 2006 decree by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono calls for 5 percent of electricity to come from nuclear and other new energy and renewable energy sources by then.

The most prominent project is a proposal to build two plants with a combined capacity of 18,000 megawatts by 2022 in the provincial government of Bangka-Belitung because it is far from the most active fault lines.

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Storm Chaos Reignites Calls for Relocation of the Capital

2011-03-18T14:54:00.000+07:00

The Jakarta Post, Dessy Sagita & Arientha Primanita | March 18, 2011

A tree collapsed in front of National Police headquarter in South Jakarta
on Wednesday. Extreme weather in the capital saw hail falling from the
sky, trees uprooted, widespread surface flooding and damage to the
exclusive Senayan City in South Jakarta. (JG Photo/Farouk Arnaz)

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The Jakarta administration is organizing compensation for vehicles and structures damaged by Wednesday’s freak weather, but frustrated Jakartans say more is needed: a capital relocation.

“Jakarta is under pressures it can no longer handle,” said Andrinof Chaniago, a public policy expert from the University of Indonesia, raising once again the debate of whether Indonesia needs to move its capital.

The sever weather on Wednesday afternoon quickly flooded roads throughout the capital, downed 42 trees and broke off branches from at least 100 more, damaging several cars and buildings in the process.

Catharina Suryowati, head of Jakarta’s Parks and Cemeteries Office , said the city would compensate the owners of each unit damaged by the trees with Rp 10 million ($1,140) each. “To claim it, the owners must give visual evidence in the form of photos, a police letter and the vehicle documents, while for buildings or houses, they must attach a letter from their neighborhood heads,” she said, adding that claims would be accepted for two months.

She acknowledged that more than 2,000 of the 70,000 trees in the city are at risk of collapse. “The trees are old, sick, rotten or tilting by more than 30 degrees. The trees’ trunks are prone to be broken,” she said.

Hari Sasongko Kushadi, head of the city’s Building Control and Monitoring Office, said owners of cars damaged by four collapsed billboards could also make claims with the city’s Tax Office against the sign owners.

Nirwono Joga, an urban planner from Trisakti University, said the city administration was always reactive to incidents like this, but rarely made attempts to prevent incidents. “It is not the trees’ faults but the planning of the trees planters,” he said.

But Andrinof said the problem was insufficient infrastructure and services creaking under the weight of a growing population.

Jakarta has become a magnet for people across the country because it is the center for both government and business. “It is now time to consider separating these two functions,” he said.

Intan Wibisono, a public relations consultant, agreed. “If the center of administration is relocated, development will spread to another part of the country and people wouldn’t flock to Jakarta,” she said. “It’s going to be a very big investment, and I know the transition period is going to be chaotic and painful, but it might pay off in the long run.”

The price of inaction, Andrinof said, was expensive for Jakartans who are forced to spend more for gas and medical costs. “Not to mention, wasting hours on the road makes people aggressive; Jakarta is full of angry, impatient people,” he said.

Emil Hartanto, an office worker who rides a motorbike from his house in Depok to his office in Pancoran, South Jakarta, every day, knows this all too well. “When you spend hours in the maze of traffic, your mood is ruined, you arrive in the office tired and grumpy, with not much energy left to stay productive,” he said.

The capital urgently needs to be relocated, Andrinof said. “There is no way to catch up, a breakthrough must happen,” he added.