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the flow

TONIBUNG: 2022 HIGHLIGHTS AND A STRONG START IN 2023

1/19/2023

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In 2022, HPNET member TONIBUNG (Friends for Village Development) continued to advance an ambitious array of initiatives to generate impact from community-based renewable energy, both at the policy level and on the ground in partnership with Indigenous communities in Malaysian Borneo.  Two key developments from 2022 are highlighted below, along with an exciting update from January 2023 regarding a first-of-its-kind international knowledge exchange event.

For more exciting updates, be sure to ‘like’ and ‘follow’ TONIBUNG’s very active facebook page.

Sabah RE2 Consortium
Since August 2021, TONIBUNG has been part of the Sabah Renewable Energy Rural Electrification Roadmap (Sabah RE2) Consortium in collaboration with Forever Sabah, Pacos Trust and Green Empowerment.  Supported by the Malaysia-UK PACT (Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions) programme, the Sabah RE2 initiative aims to build momentum towards “a future of energy equity, right livelihoods, and wellbeing for rural Sabahans” by advocating for renewable energy as a viable solution for energy access in off-grid communities.  

TONIBUNG’s primary role has been to lead stakeholder training and conduct feasibility studies of potential mini-grid design concepts.  Thus far, the team has conducted feasibility studies in 57 communities for 35 potential mini-grids across Sabah, the findings of which are summarized here.


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Map displaying feasibility studies conducted by TONIBUNG for the SabahRE2 initiative, including for micro hydro, solar and solar-hydro hybrid mini-grids. Credit: SabahRE2.
The Sabah RE2 Consortium has produced a number of rich outputs, including an interactive Demand Map for unelectrified villages in Sabah and other multimedia knowledge products, which can be accessed at sabahre2roadmap.org.

Micro Hydro Training in Bandung, Indonesia

To advance knowledge exchange objectives of the Sabah RE2 initiative, Tonibung engineers and technicians traveled to Bandung, Indonesia for micro hydro development training hosted by Heska Hydro in November, 2022.  HPNET members Pak Komarudin (Protel Multi Energy) and Pak Aji Subekti (Reneconsys) facilitated training on electronic load controllers and mini-grid design fundamentals.  As part of the training, the team also visited two micro hydro sites to enhance their understanding of civil design and to learn about operations and maintenance.  The exposure visits further strengthened the participants’ understanding of the theoretical teachings from the classroom sessions at Heska Hydro.

Inter Learning Exchange on Community-Led Renewable Energy

From January 8-11, 2023, participants from Kenya, Nepal, Cambodia and the Philippines gathered in Kampung Buayan, Ulu Papar, Sabah for the Inter Learning Exchange on Community-led Renewable Energy, co-hosted by TONIBUNG and Right Energy Partnership (REP). 


Participants shared knowledge from their own in-country experiences and learned from the pioneering work of TONIBUNG on implementing community-based micro hydropower in partnership with Indigenous communities.  The participants learned how the community of Kampung Buayan operates and maintains their community hydro mini-grid through a sustainable approach, leveraging capacity building efforts by TONIBUNG and other local partners.  The guests also saw first-hand how the community hydro has generated socioeconomic opportunities, including by enabling motorized agro-processing and allowing children to study at night, among other outcomes.


We extend our thanks to TONIBUNG Founder and HPNET Board Member, Hon. Adrian Banie Lasimbang, for his input on this blog post.  To learn more, contact TONIBUNG at tonibung@gmail.com. 

This article was developed by HPNET Thematic Coordinator, Lara Powell.

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INDIA-INDONESIA PARTNERSHIP:  PICO HYDRO DEVELOPMENT IN MEGHALAYA

1/16/2023

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Meghalaya is one of India’s eight states making up the country's rich bio- and ethnically-diverse northeastern region.  Since 2013 HPNET members have worked to advance community-scale hydro in Meghalaya for last-mile energy access:

  • In 2013, International Rivers and the Nagaland Empowerment of People thru EnergyDevelopment (NEPeD) hosted a micro hydro exchange event focusing on NE India, which connected HPNET to the Meghalaya Basin Development Agency (MBDA).
  • In 2015, HPNET enabled India practitioners to attend HPNET’s Members Gathering held in Indonesia at the Hydropower Competence Center (HYCOM), connecting them to Pt entec Indonesia.
  • In 2016, MBDA and HPNET held a regional exchange in Meghalaya, with VillageRES and PT entec Indonesia as co-facilitators.
  • In mid-2019, International Rivers and partners, including HPNET, hosted a tri-country dialogue in Meghalaya, with CSOs and local practitioners from Nepal, Myanmar, and India.
  • In late 2019, HPNET supported a reconnaissance field visit to understand field-based challenges to pico hydro scale up in NE India.
  • In 2021, HPNET and International Rivers held a three-part virtual exchange focusing on  Ganges, Brahmaputra, Meghna, and Salween (GBMS) Rivers, providing regional inspiration from across S/SE Asia and customized capacity building.  
  • The 2021 event included a special keynote by Mr. Augustus Suting, Special Officer at MBDA.
In between each of these milestones have been strategy dialogue among members. As such, when MBDA released a tender to accelerate pico hydro for rural electrification, HPNET members already had working relationships and a keen understanding of challenges and key solutions to leverage the opportunity.
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Below Mr. Ramasubramanian Vaidhyanathan (“Rams”), who has long been committed to the sub-region, provides a brief and exciting update on the most recent technical developments brought forth by a partnership between HPNET members VillageRES and Pt entec Indonesia.

To date an estimated 1000 villages remain unelectrified in the northeastern state of Meghalaya in India, out of approximately 6000 villages.  In 2022, MBDA identified about 200+ micro hydro sites for implementation located throughout the state in communities of the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo ethnic tribes.  The identified potential for most of the sites was 3 kW.  A few had a much higher potential but for this tender, projects were limited to 5 kW.

VillageRES (Village Renewable Energy Systems India Private limited) participated in the tender in partnership with EMSYS Electronics Private limited, a solar energy company based in Bangalore. The consortium was awarded 45 sites located throughout Meghalaya.   
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VillageRES entered into a manufacturing license agreement with PT entec Indonesia to manufacture their new cross flow turbine design with 150mm diameter runners. The turbine is called CFT 150/21.

The fabrication began in July 2022.  Pt entec Director, Mr. Gerhard Fischer, and the team helped us a lot with fabricating the first few pieces – updating drawings, dimensions, a few design corrections, etc. We fabricated the units in the south Indian industrial hub of Coimbatore, in the state of Tamil Nadu. 
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We are very pleased with the results: the turbines have come out very well made and were cost effective to fabricate. We also tested a few of the turbines at a site in Meghalaya and the performance was fantastic. We will be assessing the performance of this model more thoroughly once all the units are installed.
During the installation process, we found that many of the sites were situated right next to a waterfall and the penstock was installed at nearly a 90 degree angle without any proper support. While it was logical and easier to select sites that had an obvious sufficient head, other aspects, such as the design of the intake structure, penstock route, and penstock support appeared to have been completely overlooked. We realised that the on-site assessment methodology that we utilize in training has to be much more detailed and maybe periodically conducted to continue to build the capacity of the sector’s local personnel. Unless this is carried out, the project sites are prone to failure within a year or two of the installation.

This guest blog post was written by Mr. Ramasubramanian Vaidhyanathan (“Rams”), Director of VillageRES and HPNET Board of Representative Member for India.  
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He can be reached at ​​rams@villageres.com. 
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INDONESIA:  STRATEGY MEETING TO REVITALIZE THE SECTOR

3/2/2022

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Indonesia's inspiring, 25-year micro/mini hydro sector has been challenged with policies that have stalled local manufacturers and developers from providing electricity both to the central and to last mile communities. 

Local practitioners, including members of the association Asosiasi Hidro Bandung (AHB), came together to strategize how best to convince the government to alleviate
policy, finance, and planning bottlenecks.  Established in 1998 and now having 180 members, AHB has been at the forefront of linking entrepreneurs, communities, and the government to continue scaling up small-scale hydropower in Indonesia.  

The meeting was held
in late February ​at the prestigious Hydropower Competence Centre (HYCOM) in Bandung, Indonesia, established in 2011 by Pt Entec Indonesia and the Indonesia TECD, with support from the Swiss Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Promotion in International Cooperation (REPIC), ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE), and GIZ.
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Indonesia’s senior local manufacturers and developers convened at HYCOM in February 2022 to strategize small-scale hydro advocacy. Credit: Pt Entec Indonesia.
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MEMBER PROFILE: PROTEL MULTI ENERGY, INDONESIA

12/19/2021

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​Public, non-government, and private sector actors each play important roles in the small-scale hydropower landscape.  We are often inspired by the tenacity of locally-rooted, private entrepreneurs who are unperturbed by the challenges that come with establishing and running a financially viable business that also serves rural communities.  In this guest blog post, we hear from Mr. Komarudin, an entrepreneur who wears many hats as a manufacturer, developer, technical consultant, and micro hydro champion in Bandung, Indonesia.  He introduces us to his business, Protel Multi Energy (PME), which has been supporting rural energy access for over a decade. 

​Protel Multi Energy (PME) was incorporated in early 2011 by Mr. Komarudin, an electrical engineer with a strong background in renewable energy, and a passion for small-scale hydropower, cultivated over 15 years. Previously, Mr. Komarudin worked with Entec AG, a Swiss consulting and engineering company specialized in small hydropower. Experienced with worldwide projects in technology transfer, he has provided assistance in developing countries, especially in crossflow turbine (T14/T15) and controller technology.
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Mr. Komarudin and the PME team. Credit: PME, 2021.
Protel Multi Energy focuses on the manufacturing of affordable Digital Electronic Load Controllers (ELCs), as well as micro hydro and pico hydro turbines (crossflow and Pelton) for rural electrification all over the world. Besides product manufacturing we also assist villagers and project owners in planning and designing micro hydro schemes. Sometimes we offer technical supervision on construction and installation. We are also able to do turnkey projects under certain circumstances.
Our ELCs are being used in more than 900 micro hydro sites in 5 continents and more than 30 countries worldwide, with a projected total installed capacity of about 10MW by the end of 2021. Our projects are mostly financed by donors, government agencies or the private sector, as off-grid renewable energy projects for rural development.
Nowadays, especially in Indonesia, we are developing many micro hydro projects through Dana Desa (village funds). We often provide support for each stage, starting from site survey, to planning and design, project supervision, supply of equipment and post-installation management. Due to their lack of knowledge and experience, we assist villagers to develop their project as their own responsibility, under our supervision to make sure it runs well with a sustainable approach and reliable equipment.
To learn more about PME and access many useful tutorial videos, visit our YouTube channel!
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WATCH:  EXCHANGE EVENT VIDEOS

10/18/2021

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As part of the SEEED Accelerator, HPNET launched the SEEED cohort for the Ganga, Brahmaputra, Meghna, and Salween River Basins, in partnership with International Rivers, to advance community-scale hydropower in the region. 

​With support from TROSA and funding from the Government of Sweden and WISIONS, the SEEED cohort engaged in capacity building, multi-actor dialogue and peer-to-peer exchange, including through a two-day virtual exchange event. 

​You can find video recordings, session summaries, presentation slides, and other event resources at this link!
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EARTH VOICES: FROM LUKU WINGIR, INDONESIA

10/6/2020

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Our blog series Earth Voices presents the linkages between community-scale hydropower, indigenous-led conservation and sustainable development. The series presents case studies of how community-scale hydropower reinforces environmental traditions by incentivizing watershed strengthening, which in turn enable reliable and clean electricity.

In this edition of Earth Voices, we feature the micro hydro village of Luku Wingir, located on the island of Sumba, in East Nusa Tenggara province. Luku Wingir was selected as a pilot village for the Village Model Initiative for Gender Integration in Renewable Energy Sector program, which accelerates gender mainstreaming in the renewable energy sector in Sumba. Initiated by Hivos and the Ministry of Women Empowerment and Child Protection, the multi-stakeholder program allows inter-sectoral collaboration, including government agencies (from village to national level), local communities, local NGO, and academics.

We sat  with Mrs. Rita Kefi from Hivos Southeast Asia, and local civil society representatives, namely Mrs. Trouce Landukara and Mr. Aryanto Umbu Kudu to learn more about the life of the Luku Wingir community and the socio-economic impact of its community-based micro hydro project.

The Indonesian translation of the article can be found here.

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'Rumah Panggung' traditional home in Luku Wingir village. Credit: Hivos Southeast Asia
Energy access in Indonesia

​Indonesia is the largest archipelago country in Southeast Asia with a population of 250 million. Indonesia has high energy needs with challenging natural conditions. Even though the Indonesian government notes that the electrification ratio in Indonesia has reached 99%, in fact several regions in Indonesia still have difficulty in accessing energy. One of the contributing factors is the imbalance between urban and rural infrastructure development. There are still around 433 villages in Indonesia that have not yet been electrified (President Joko Widodo's speech 3 April 2020), including 325 Papuan villages, 102 West Papua villages, 5 villages in East Nusa Tenggara, and 1 village in Maluku. However, the definition of a village being ‘electrified’ varies.
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Luku Wingir village landscape. Credit: Rita Kefi

​Getting to know the Luku Wingir community

Luku Wingir village, an area of 51.8 square km, has a hilly natural landscape with considerably dry land. To get to Luku Wingir it takes about 1.5 hours from Waingapu, the capital of East Sumba district.  Although since 2018 road conditions have improved for car and motorbike accessibility, the route is not traversed by public transportation and therefore access is still limited.

There are about 400 people living in Luku Wingir village, with almost the same ratio of men and women. Most households cultivate corn, cassava, vanilla and cashew nuts for selling to Waingapu. Apart from farming, some people raise pigs, cows, buffaloes, horses and goats. The agricultural and livestock systems there still use traditional methods, so the quantity and quality of farming and raising products are not optimal. Modern agricultural equipment has not yet entered the village, it is only limited to chemical fertilizers. “As for livestock, the villagers are not familiar with the livestock fattening method. If only they are trained and equipped with the knowledge about this, it will help to increase the meat production and increase their income” said Mr. Aryanto who has closely worked with the farmers in the village.


Most households rely on traditional biomass stoves for cooking, while a few have been provided biogas stoves by the government. For lighting, several houses are equipped with solar panels, some of which have been funded by the village government.
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Before Christianity arrived in Sumba, the Anawaru tribe in Luku Wingir followed the local religion, namely Marapu. Marapu adherents worship the spirits of their ancestors, and they practiced religious rituals that are closely related to nature. For example, there are prayer ceremonies in the forest, near the springs and near old trees to respect their ancestors and nature. Even though this ritual has now disappeared, people still have a close spiritual relationship with nature, and embrace values ​​that are in harmony with nature.

Micro hydro and economic opportunities

Due to inadequate infrastructure problems, Luku Wingir is one of the villages of Sumba that has difficulty accessing energy. The community had been relying on kerosene/ oil lamps until 2015.

Life in Luku Wingir has changed when it started receiving electricity  from a 26 kW micro hydro system installed in the neighboring village of Waimbidi village. The project was funded by the  regional government budget. In the construction and development process, both Waimbidi and Luku Wingir communities were directly involved. They were both also provided with training for maintenance. Thus, there is a sense of shared responsibility among the two villages to maintain the micro hydro. For instance, during a flood the two communities worked together to rehabilitate the micro hydro plant.

Women were not involved in the construction phase nor the regular maintenance of the micro hydro. Women are more actively involved in the utilization and operation of micro hydro. For example, in Luku Wingir’s village-owned enterprise (BUMDes), there is a women-led business unit called the energy and natural resources unit which is responsible for collecting electricity fees and directing the funds to the village cooperative. This fund will be used to cover the operational costs for technicians and micro hydro’s maintenance.

In the last four years, electricity access has been relatively stable for 24 hours. In the village itself, there are 25 households that are not yet connected to the micro hydro due to their location being far from the center of the village.  Even though not all households can enjoy access to electricity evenly, the micro hydro has benefited the village economy. Households can carry out productive activities at night. In addition, the quality of education has also improved because children's learning time outside of school hours has also increased.

​​The impacts of climate change and how society adapts

Climate change has had a real impact on the lives of the Luku Wingir community. Corn planting that normally could be done in December, now has shifted to February or March. Moreover, because the supply of native Sumba seedlings has decreased, the farmers were forced to use seeds from outside Sumba (e.g. hybrid plants) that are not adaptive to the Sumba’s natural environment. This affects the quality of crop production, and consequently impacts farmers' income.

Climate change, however, has encouraged the community to adapt. Due to the threat of unstable food supply, households use their backyards to grow food crops for their own consumption and for sale within and outside the village. Being self-sufficient in food supplies also helps the community to thrive during the COVID-19 pandemic. Given its location, the Luku Wingir communities have limited contact with big cities and tourists. So far it is relatively safe and trade activity remains as usual. 
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In addition, the traditional Sumba weaving group has been reactivated, as a new business to support income generation. Sumba weaving is still handmade in the traditional way. The dyes used are also natural dyes from leaves, roots, and fruits.

PictureCollective community contribution. Credit: Rita Kefi
Recommendation to address challenges to the economic development 

Luku Wingir is a fairly developed village compared to five other villages in the surrounding area. There are several factors driving this development. Luku Wingir benefits from its location in a sub-district village. Moreover, since it was selected as a gender-energy model village, it received attention from the government. Furthermore, it also benefits from  the formation of OPD (Regional Apparatus Organization) in East Sumba and the supporting program that aims at accelerating the village's economic development.

However, there are still challenges that hamper Luku Wingir’s economic growth. In our conversation, Mrs. Trouce and Mr. Aryanto proposed a couple of recommendations to address these challenges. 

  • Equitable and inclusive energy access
    Equitable access to energy for all houses in the village is fundamental for inclusive economic growth. Not only will this ensure  all families have access to electricity and clean cooking, but it will also enhance farming, agri processing and market activities.. Providing electricity to the 25 un-electrified households requires extending the distribution line of the existing micro hydro system. This would mean creating a road, which will also enhance transportation and logistics routes, opening additional market access routes. 

  • Skills-building for agri-processing
    Developing the villagers’ skills will help to increase the value of their agricultural products Luku Wingir has great economic potential that can be developed, such as processing cashew nuts, bamboo, or creative economy (such as ikat weaving for example). However, the limited skills of the community prevent the village from developing added value to the products it produces.
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As a pilot village, Luku Wingir has successfully set an example of how energy access using community-based micro hydro has helped to enhance the local economy, and encouraged two villages communities to work hand-in-hand, while preserving nature and respecting the local values of gotong royong (collective actions). 

While every village has its own challenges and requires a tailored solution, the best practices from the case of Luku Wingir may be adopted elsewhere, especially for neighboring villages that can mutually benefit from a micro hydro project.  


Content provided by Lina Noviandari and Rita Kefi at HIVOS Southeast Asia
Composed by Cherika Hardjakusumah, with editing support the HPNET Secretariat
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"HIDDEN NO MORE": AN INTERVIEW WITH IBEKA'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TRI MUMPUNI

10/2/2020

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Our Hidden No More feature series spotlights women change-makers who have transformed gender barriers, and made impactful contributions to energy access for marginalized communities. 

In this edition, we spoke with Tri Mumpuni, the Executive Director of IBEKA (Institut Bisnis dan Ekonomi Kerakyatan), who has been engaged in rural development work in Indonesia for more than 30 years. Together with her husband and her team, they have implemented more than 60 micro hydro and pico hydro projects across the archipelago. For her dedication, she has won various international awards, including WWF Climate Hero in 2005, Ashden Awards 2012, and ASEAN Social Impact Award in 2018. 

Tri Mumpuni, also known as Ibu Puni, shared with us her journey as a female micro hydro practitioner in Indonesia and her work to prepare the next generation in micro hydro and social development sectors.

PictureTri Mumpuni at Cinta Mekar MHP. Credit: T.Mumpuni
When and how did you start your career in micro hydro?

I started in 1996. My husband, Pak Iskandar, started way earlier. He is an engineer and he has the expertise in micro hydro technology.  

We work together as a team. He focuses on technical aspects, and I focus on the social aspects.  

For a long time, people who live in the remote areas have been relying on diesel gensets or as a quick solution when they need electricity. Unfortunately, this is not stable nor sustainable. It brings profit to some people, but we can’t rely on it in the long run. That’s what we’re trying to change. But first, what we need is to change the people’s mindset.


Statistically, the electrification ratio in Indonesia is high (99%). How is the reality in the villages?
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There is a misunderstanding in the definition of electrification ratio. The electrification ratio that has been used in the statistics counts by the number of villages or sub-district, not by inhabitants. So if there is one house in a sub-district that has electricity, it is counted that the whole sub-district is electrified.
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This electrification ratio does not factor in the quality of the electricity itself. Based on my observation, there are many villages in Indonesia that only have electricity only from 6 to 10 pm. For example, in Aceh, Kalimantan, and Molucca Island. Ideally, if we are talking about electricity, then it should be available for 24 hours.

'Gotong Royong' or collective action in the village. Credit: T. Mumpuni
'Gotong Royong' or collective action. Credit: T. Mumpuni
MHP Powerhouse in Toraja, Sulawesi. Credit: T. Mumpuni
MHP Powerhouse in Toraja, Sulawesi. Credit: T. Mumpuni
What inspired you to get involved in community development and energy access?
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I find rural areas in Indonesia have a lot of economic potential. Unfortunately, the lack of energy access has become one of the biggest challenges in rural economic development.

‘Energizing villages’ in literal sense means to enable access to energy, more specifically electricity. However, that is not enough. To develop the economy, we also need humanitarian energy.

To do all these, we need somebody who has concerns, passion, and a genuine heart to think of how to allow this energy to flow to the villages in need. Somebody who could bring ‘light’ as in electricity, but also somebody who can ‘enlighten’ the people and the communities in the villages with the know-how to to develop their economy. 


You have to be brave and courageous to bring such a change. How do you play your role here?

It’s God’s calling. I never dreamt of working in the micro hydro sector.

My husband is a micro hydro technology expert, but he cannot do everything alone. When we go to the field, I help him to engage with the local community. We face numerous bureaucratic/ administrative hurdles, and in some areas we have to deal with rackets (preman). 

It’s not an easy task. We are doing this for the local people, but we also face challenges imposed directly or indirectly by them. The local values of gotong royong (collective action) have vanished due to corruption in different layers of the government - which does not only hinder our projects, even worse, it hinders rural economic development.


You have been involved in more than 80 micro hydro projects in Indonesia, from Aceh to Papua. What other realities do you see in your MHP journey? 

​There is one experience that struck me the most. It was in Aceh. Around 20 km from where we worked, we found somebody doing another micro hydro installation but it was badly engineered, had a very poor civil construction. It didn’t function and didn’t serve its purpose.

This is the result of a project that was handled by people who are not experts in MHP. This thing happened because the government used a public tender system for MHP projects, and the company that won this tender, subcontracted the work to several other companies. In the end, the project didn’t meet the quality standard and didn’t benefit the local community.


Who are the people in your team? Are there women who support you on this?
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I have a very solid team at IBEKA who are young and well-trained. We also have a woman who is a gender-expert in our team. 

Women’s participation in micro hydro remains limited. Generally, women are not yet involved in project initiation or development. The interest in this is still low.

They are more involved in the energy utilization aspect. In Sumba for example, we work closely with women who have a home industry.


How do you ensure the sustainability of your MHP projects?

What I do with the IBEKA team is community-based development. Before we construct anything, we firstly prepare the local communities. For 3 months up to 1 year, we teach them the basic knowledge of MHP, and then we train them to operate and to maintain it so that they can be self-sufficient. This is what we call people-driven development. 

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We are in close touch with the communities that we are working with. Technology makes it easy now for us to communicate by text/ Whatsapp. We also regularly hold review meetings online.
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Receiving the Ashden Award from the British Government. Credit: T. Mumpuni

​What does it take for you to become the person who brings this ‘light’ to the people in the rural area?

First of all, I am passionate about what I’m doing, and that is important. In my role, apart from convincing myself, I have to convince others. I am highly committed to my work, and I really hope that there will be regeneration. This is the legacy that I’d like to leave to the younger generation.

What keeps you motivated?

This journey makes me addicted. I cannot stop doing good for others. When we were in the field, completed our construction, and switched on the energy supply for the first time in one evening; people screamed happily and some even sobbed. This happy energy motivates me to keep doing this and go further.

What message would you like to share to readers especially for the next generation of women micro hydro champions?

For us who work in community development, we need to create a driver, not an enabler. I’ll use a mountain bike as an illustration. A person can go to the top of the mountain by biking. Without a bike, this person can still go to the mountain by hiking. 

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This is how I picture driver and enabler. Micro hydro is a tool for human empowerment, it is not a tool for creating profit. If we do well, profit will follow, but it also has to make a social impact.
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INDONESIA: THE 100-YEAR OLD SALIDO-KECIL MINI HYDRO PROJECT

9/30/2020

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The Salido Kecil Mini Hydro Project (MHP) was built at least 100 years ago in West Sumatra and continues to operate.  Directly involved in the project’s sustainability, in this article Gerhard Fischer and Ardi Nugraha of PT entec Indonesia, based in Bandung, explore the project’s journey from a captive plant for local enterprise to a grid-interconnected system, with the Gold Standard Verified Emission Reductions (GS-VER).
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More detail on the project can be found in the project’s CDM document here.

Technical Overview

The civil engineering and electro-mechanical equipment of the Salido Kecil MHP, although built ~100 years ago, is an engineering masterpiece and a benchmark for high-quality hydropower projects even for today. The system is equipped with Siemens & Schuckert generators, Pelton turbines, and first-generation Hansen & MAN mechanical jet deflectors, all from Germany.
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  • Civil work infrastructure.  A 2.2 km long power channel -- partially in an earth-covered tunnel, with 4 long aqueducts and a pair of parallel gravel sedimentation basins near the intake, and a pair of parallel de-sanders near the forebay -- provide the perfect water quality for the operation of the electro-mechanical system.  With a head of 110 m, the cast iron penstock is 342 m long and 600/700 m in diameter, with lead-sealed joints.
 
  • Electro-mechanical system.  The system has 3 generators direct-coupled at 750 RPM to 3 different Pelton turbines, each of 400 kVa capacity. Each turbine has 2 runners on the shaft, with 4 nozzles. In total, there are 6 runners and 12 nozzles. Eight nozzles are on/off type and 4 nozzles are adjustable, in order to fine tune the water level at the forebay tank during the dry season.  The system is equipped with synchronizing jet defector control at each nozzle.  The design output of the system was 600 kW.
Project Timeline
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  • Early 1900s:  The project was constructed by Dutch engineers to provide electricity to a nearby gold mine.
  • 1940s:  Japanese military occupied the plant for its own use.
  • 1950s:  The Indonesian civil war resulted in the abandoning of the project, during which the penstock was extensively damaged from extreme floods in West Sumatra.
  • Early 1960s:  PT. Anggrek Mekar Sari (AMS) repaired the system and obtained government permission to operate and sell electricity to the local grid of the utility, PLN. 
  • 1960s - 1990s:  AMS’ attempt to sell electricity to the neighboring city of Painan and later to a local cement factory failed due to PLN connecting the area to the West Sumatra grid.   
  • 1995:  During a period of large government subsidy for diesel, PLN connected a diesel-powered plant to the same local grid, and AMS was forced to disconnect the Selido-Kecil Mini Hydro from the local grid.  
  • 1995 - 2005:  To survive financially, AMS sold electricity to its own ice factory, utilizing the one last functional turbine.  entec AG from Switzerland conducts field assessments and an investor search to rehabilitate the entire system of 3 turbines.  
  • 2006:  After much difficulty in finding investors due to the policy situation, entec AG decided to invest on its own and secured a loan from the Triodos Development Bank in the Netherlands.
  • 2006 - 2007:  PT entec Indonesia (a subsidiary of entec AG)  jointly with AMS, on a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) basis,  started the rehabilitation of the “Unit 2” turbine, resulting in an output of 315 kW.
  • 2008 - 2009:  The “Unit 1” turbine is rehabilitated. The project obtains the Gold Standard Verified Emission Reductions (GS-VER).
  • 2011 - 2012:  The “Unit 3” turbine is rehabilitated, requiring the ice factory to close.
  • 2013:  All 3 units are rehabilitation and operational, generating 780 kW, instead of the expected design output of 1000 kW, due to losses in the penstock.
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Source for timeline:  Rehabilitation of the Mini Hydro Power Plant PLTA Salido Kecil, Feasibility Study, Entec AG Switzerland, 1999
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The AMS and PT entec’s turbine rehabilitation team for the Salido Kecil MHP, including MHP legendary expert Gerhard Fischer (second from left). Credit: PT entec
Salido-Kecil MHP electro-mechanical system after rehabilitation. Credit: PT entec
Feed-In-Tariff Challenges

There are two schemes of power purchase agreement in Indonesia’s energy administration: excess power and independent power.  Unfortunately it was not possible until now to change the Excess Power Purchase Agreement (EPPA) applied during the operation of the ice factory to an Independent Power Producer Agreement (IPPA), and the tariff is still very low.  From 2005 until 2018, it was IDR 441 (USD 0.045 / kWh in 2005). From 2018 until today, it has been IDR 470 IDR (USD 0.032 / kWh ), which is a fraction of the IPPA tariff in the region (about USD 0.061 / kWh). 

Considering the inflation, the USD 0.045 in 2005 is equivalent to USD 0.060  today and not USD 0.032 US.  So the actual tariff paid is again being lowered every year. Without an increase of utility tariff, history may repeat, and the operation in some years will again not be profitable. Moreover, in the last 3 years the power plant has been disconnected for some months due to administrative issues and it has been causing a huge income loss.
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Since September 2019 the power plant has been interconnected again. However, the following observations were made:
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  • The power plant is on the end of a transmission line branch. More and more consumers are connecting, and the voltage is often dropping in the peak power times below 200V. This causes an overheating of the generator and transformer, and the generator must be disconnected in the peak hour. This triggers another voltage drop to 190V of the grid and reconnection is technically only possible at around 11pm or when the voltage is above 215V.  
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  • The operation of Salido MHP reduces the transmission loss of the utility in our power line to the distribution transformer for about 10% of our production. This is not considered in the paid tariff- the opposite is the case– we need to switch off during peak hours because the voltage is too low.​
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Gold Standard CDM Agreement and CO₂ Avoidance
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Since 2006 Salido Kecil has produced more than 29 million kWh. What does this number mean?  Well, producing this energy with diesel fuel would be the equivalent of about 9,700,000 L diesel fuel or 1,200 tank lorries, 8,000 L each. Lining up those lorries would result in a 12 km long traffic jam!

As per definition of the VER standard, more than 20,000 tons of CO₂ have been avoided, which is an equivalent of 11,000,000 m3 CO₂ gas. This is the volume equivalent of a balloon filled with CO₂ gas with 280 m in diameter, or the  CO₂ gas that 20,000 trees would absorb in 40 years.
Power channel surrounded by forest. Credit: PT entec
Fallen trees at the power channel. Credit: PT entec
Narrow road access helped to prevent logging. Credit: PT entec
Recreation area developed at the site. Credit: PT entec
Deforestation at the site. Credit: PT entec
Repair of power channel in Sept. 2020. Credit: PT entec
Catchment Area Protection

The water flow is reducing from year to year. The catchment area is mostly an extremely healthy tropical forest in the Kerinci Seblat National Park. Unfortunately, the buffer zone area near the 2.2 km long channel structures is village-owned and less protected. Until two years ago the access to this area was naturally blocked by vegetation and a narrow pathway. The limited access made it difficult to transport wood and agricultural products out of the forest, and therefore prevented uncontrolled and unwise logging.
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Now there is infrastructure that widens the pathway and makes this area accessible for the public. In fact, the intake area of the MHP has been  opened as a recreation area. During the recent COVID-19 lock down, the untouched area and steep long channel was cleared, which unfortunately  exposed the civil structures to erosion and landslides. In addition, many old trees along the channel have been logged to clear land for agriculture.

In September 2020, PT entec had to repair a part of the power channel that severely cracked due to shifting terrain resulting from the erosion.  Before this, the geology of the project site had been stable for  100 years -- thanks to healthy forests. 
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Water Supply and Irrigation

The water for the public water supply of Painan (10 km away) is taken out of the river below the MHP weir at the intake. Up to now this water is coming from a side river – if demand for water supply  is rising and river flow is decreasing in the dry season, due to deforestation or climate, the available flow may reduce possible electricity production especially during the dry season.  In addition to this, the water at the powerhouse tailrace is diverted to an irrigation scheme for rice fields, which has had significant economic benefit.
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Weir for publich water supply downstream from the MHP weir, established by the local water company, Perusahaan Daerah Air Minum. Credit: PT entec
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Irrigation structure installed at the powerhouse tailrace. Credit: PT entec
Current Status

At the start of 2020, PT entec came to know that the channel had leakages, due to the channel crack that had formed because of erosion from deforestation, as explained above.  The channel structure had started to sink down. Last month the leakage became severe, decreasing the output to 200 kW due to a loss of 100 L/s.

Despite COVID-19 travel restrictions, PT entec decided to repair and conduct a technical inspection of the entire power plant.  Immediate shutdown and repair were conducted to avoid a potential landslide.

Not caring for such a problem can cause extremely high repair costs, not to mention long periods of shut down. A similar situation occurred at the 250 kW mini hydro project at the Tea Plantation Dewata on Java Island, causing a shut down of 5 months and damage costing far above 100,000 USD. Fortunately, the Salido power plant is back to full operation now.  PT entec will continue to monitor.


Closing Thoughts

The Salido Kecil MHP is one of many examples that show small-scale hydro power is still in many places a very sustainable renewable energy source. However the feed-in-tariff is still low for renewable energy and in particular for mini hydro power.  The reason for this is that fossil fuel is still cheap, and there are many administrative obstacles to developing projects.

However, land use in rural communities often changes dramatically due to an increasing population pressure and the increasing income requirements for the rural population, in order to catch up with technological development and increasing wish to participate in the lifestyle shown by the internet and social media.

Cash crop production without any care for soil erosion protection and maintaining the biodiversity of the entire region is a pragmatic approach taken by the locals. It is a big task to raise awareness for the consequences of soil erosion and the urgent need of investing now into a clean and permanently flowing river supplying water for irrigation and public water supply.

It will be not easy but worthwhile to combine all factors of energy protection, economic, ecological, and environmental aspects; and protect the Salido Kecil’s historical asset and the beautiful forest along the waterway and the catchment area for future generations.
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There is a big potential for eco-tourism and recreation in nature. It is therefore crucial to conduct an assessment to measure the economic values of the natural capital in this area and to develop environmental regulation that protects biodiversity, as well as local communities.    

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INDONESIA - PHILIPPINES EXCHANGE

11/25/2019

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HPNET members in Indonesia and the Philippines are joining forces to provide high quality micro hydro equipment to community-based projects in Mindanao.

The ASEAN Centre for Hydropower Competance (HYCOM) and Pt Entec Indonesia, both global experts for micro hydro technology transfer, are supporting the Yamog Renewable Energy Development Group, Inc., the pioneering NGO committed for nearly three decades to providing electricity to marginalized communities in Mindanao, to explore establishing local manufacturing of cross-flow turbines.  

After multiple online exchanges, in June 2019 HPNET Board members Gerhard Fischer and Ardi Nugraha visited Yamog in Davao City to gauge the local team's capacity for local manufacturing.  Then in October 2019, Yamog's technical leads visit Pt Entec and HYCOM in Bandung, Indonesia to better understand quality standards practiced in Indonesia.  The collaboration is gradually moving toward the goal of locally manufactured cross-flow turbines in Mindanao.

HPNET facilitated the start of collaboration between PT Entec and Yamog in 2018 and the network has benefited immensely from the ongoing contributions of both organizations. It is great to see continuous knowledge exchange (often self-initiated, as in this case) between these long-standing HPNET Members.
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INDONESIA:  TRAININGS AND EXPOSURE VISITS HOSTED BY ASEAN HYDROPOWER COMPETANCE CENTRE (HYCOM)

10/8/2019

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Micro hydro development in Indonesia started around 1991 with the support of GIZ (German international cooperation). Later on, Energising Development (EnDev) Indonesia implemented many MHP projects until 2014, with Entec AG Swiss / PT Entec Indonesia as consultants. 

The ASEAN Hydro Competence Centre (HYCOM) was inaugurated in 2011 and is jointly operated and managed by PT Entec Indonesia and the Technical Education Development Centre Bandung (TEDC). In addition to PT Entec and TEDC, HYCOM was established with the support of:
  • ASEAN Center for Energy (ACE) and GIZ
  • Entec AG
  • Renewable Energy Platform Swiss (REPIC)
  • University FH Technik (Zurich)

HYCOM works to promote small-scale hydropower and disseminate know-how in the sector. Offering hands-on training and application oriented research, HYCOM endeavours to improve the implementation and operation of small-scale hydropower installations worldwide. To date, HYCOM has conducted about 40 trainings and workshops with 350 participants from 25 countries, and has hosted approximately 500 visitors from all over the world.

​This quarter HYCOM conducted three knowledge transfer activities, which are described below by guest bloggers and HPNET Board Members, Mr. Gerhard Fischer and Mr. Ardi Nugraha.

TRAINING FOR MICRO HYDRO OPERATORS

In the past 3 months, HYCOM conducted two trainings for micro hydro operators. The trainings focused on Operation and Maintenance concepts and procedures, economic consequences of neglected maintenance, safety issues, understanding turbine characteristics and other practical issues of operation from water hammer, cavitation, synchronizing, alignment, balancing issues and very important  environmental issues. The attending practitioners raised many practical issues from their experience, which will help us to improve our trainings with relevant subjects. 

Training 1: Operators of Indonesian small hydro plants (July 8 - 12, 2019)

In July, HYCOM facilitated a training for 12 participants by PLN (Indonesia's government-owned utility) and KfW (a German state-owned development bank) “Sustainable Hydro Power Program”. This program was hosted at PUSDIKLAT (a training centre of PLN) involving 3 trainers from Germany. The training involved activities at the HYCOM centre, which made use of the hydro laboratory equipment, as well as visits to hydropower sites near Bandung (750 kW, 2MW up to 1000 MW).
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Trainees on a field visit to a mini-hydro project, examining the electro-mechanical equipment. Credit: A. Nugraha
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Trainees at HYCOM centre in Bandung, Indonesia. Credit: A. Nugraha
Training 2: Operators of Sarawak, Malaysia mini hydro plant (Sept. 29 - Oct. 4, 2019)
A training event was held for 9 operators and engineers from the power utility of Sarawak, Malaysia. The training was conducted by PT Entec using the HYCOM laboratory equipment and visiting MHP equipment manufacturers, as well as visiting one hydropower plant near Bandung to study the maintenance system. (The plant, a 250 kW standalone MHP in a tea plantation, has been operational for 17 years using equipment made in Bandung.)
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Malaysia-Indonesia training and exchange event at HYCOM centre. Credit: A. Nugraha
EXPOSURE VISIT:  Ethiopia Practitioners (Aug. 30 - 31, 2019)
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As early as 2008, an exchange of MHP know-how and turbine manufacturer training was held in Indonesia, conducted by PT Entec Indonesia and financed by GIZ. Participants from Ethiopia and Indonesia came together to learn general MHP know-how, and they received a license training for the T15- 300 cross flow turbine used in hundreds of MHP projects worldwide.

The achievements of this training were that three T15 cross flow turbine sites and some propeller low head were installed in Ethiopia and local manufacturers had “new ideas“ to improve their low cost turbines up to 25 kW.
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Indonesia-Ethiopia Exchange Event, 2008. Credit: PT Entec Indonesia
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Indonesia-Ethiopia Exchange Event, 2008. Credit: PT Entec Indonesia
This past August, PT Entec conducted another exchange event with participants from Ethiopia. From August 30th to 31st 2019, a delegation of EnDev Ethiopia visited Indonesia for an exposure visit. GIZ is presently planning the implementation 9 micro hydro sites in the frame of the EnDev project. The delegation (consisting of 3 GIZ/EnDev staff and 3 government officials) visited the HYCOM training centre, which is established at P4TK-BMTI, a training institution for vocational teachers in Indonesia. P4TK-BMTI is presently taking care of renewable energy (hydro, PV, biomass, wind) on the vocational school level. The delegation expressed interest to cooperate with this institution for vocational training in future.

We see a good opportunity for HPNET to support a south-south technology transfer linking the experiences of the network with the African micro hydro market.

Interested in a video tour of HYCOM?  Check out the video below!

Guest blog post written by Mr. Gerhard Fischer (Director of PT Entec Indonesia and HYCOM, and HPNET Board of Advisors Member) and Mr. Ardi Nugraha (Senior Manager of PT Entec Indonesia and HYCOM, and HPNET Board of Representatives Member for Indonesia).

They can be reached at 
office@entec.co.id 
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WATCH:  WEBINAR ON HYDRO MINI-GRID SUSTAINABILITY

9/20/2019

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Did you miss our third quarterly webinar, Mini-Grid Sustainability: Transitioning to Social Enterprise for Energy and Economic Development?  You can now watch it below!
Over the last year, HPNET has shed light on the key factors for sustaining hydro mini-grids over the long-term. This webinar addressed the importance of social enterprise for ensuring mini-grid sustainability, featuring practitioners who are leading the transition from grant-dependent to enterprise-based hydro mini-grids. The speakers highlighted the potential for local social enterprise to support revenue-driven and equitable hydro mini-grids. 

The webinar presented:
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  • The linkage between enterprise-based approaches and long-lived hydro mini-grids;
  • Best practices to transition from grant-dependent to local social enterprise models, based on micro hydro experience in Nepal, Malaysia, and Indonesia;
  • Solutions to scale their efforts to more micro hydro communities, including how to make better use of funding resources that currently go toward grant-dependent projects.

Introducing SEEED

The webinar also introduced our new HPNET initiative: Social Enterprise for Energy, Ecological, and Economic Development (SEEED). SEEED aims to support local practitioners and micro hydro communities in the transition to enterprise-based approaches.

The webinar supported an initial objective of SEEED, by identifying and highlighting the work of practitioners who are already paving the path toward long-lived mini-grids anchored in local social enterprise.
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Stay tuned for more information on SEEED, to be released in coming weeks!

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PT ENTEC TEAM VISITS TONIBUNG IN MALAYSIA

9/20/2019

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PictureHPNET Board members from Pt Entec Indonesia at CREATE in Sabah, Malaysia. Image credit: A. Lasimbang
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Last week, HPNET members in Indonesia and Malaysia came together to share their micro hydropower expertise and support each other's important work in energy access. HPNET Board members Gerhard Fischer and Ardi Nugraha of PT Entec Indonesia visited the TONIBUNG team at CREATE in Sabah, Malaysia to provide input on turbine design and fabrication techniques.

TONIBUNG has pioneered community-based micro hydro in Malaysia, working in partnership with  remote, indigenous communities for over 25 years. Despite their ample experience and expertise, the team is always looking for opportunities to improve their techniques and expand their impact.

HPNET facilitated the start of the partnership between TONIBUNG and PT Entec, way back when, and the network has benefited immensely from the ongoing contributions of both organizations. It is great to see continuous knowledge exchange (often self-initiated, as in this case) between these long-standing HPNET Members.
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ADB ACEF DEEP DIVE: COMMUNITY ENERGY SYSTEMS

6/20/2019

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The Asia Clean Energy Forum (ACEF), organized by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and its partners, this year included a commendable focus community-based renewable energy solutions.  The  Energy for All initiative at the ADB organized a deep dive workshop called Community Energy Systems: Realizing the Potential of People’s Partnership in Achieving Energy Access.  Several HPNET members and partners were speakers in the two panels of the deep dive.

Here's some re-cap from @DivyamNagpal's tweets on his session:

"General agreement on the strong track record of community energy systems for energy access, with potential for even greater contribution to universal EA efforts. Important to understand the community ownership process and invest in not just hardware, but the social processes."

"A strong business case for distribution utilities to support and integrate community energy systems, while retaining com. ownership (thru on-grid net metering). Pilots in the Philippines show the benefits to reach un/under-served areas & improve tail-end supply."

"Emphasis on the imp. role of with local entities/NGOs, pre-emptively addressing the 'common action problem' through project design, providing incentives for productive use development, transitioning from grants -> debt, not pushing specific tech but look at community needs."
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HPNET-WISIONS DEEP DIVE AT THE ASIA CLEAN ENERGY FORUM:  SCALING INCLUSIVE ENTERPRISE MICRO HYDRO

6/19/2019

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HPNET and WISIONS hosted a Deep Dive Workshop at the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Asia Clean Energy Forum (ACEF) 2019, entitled Hydro Mini-Grids in the Asia-Pacific: Scaling Inclusive
Enterprise-Based Approaches.  Special thanks to the ACEF team, our speakers, and WISIONS for making the rich dialogue possible!

The agenda and speaker bios can be found here.  Watch the videos below!  Or listen to the audio here.

Part 1 - Examples and Opportunities for Enterprise-based Hydro Mini-Grids
Moderator:  Divyam Nagpal
Panelists:  Bir Bahadur Ghale, Hydro Concern Ltd., Nepal; Satish Gautam, UNDP Renewable Energy for Rural Livelihoods, Nepal; Sandra Winarsa, Hivos Southeast Asia; Meherban Khan, Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) Pakistan, and Dipti Vaghela, Hydro Empowerment Network
Part 2 - National Programs to Scale-up Enterprise-based Approaches
Moderator:  Bikash Pandey, Winrock International
Panelists:  Ernesto 'Butch' Silvano, National Energy Administration, Philippines; Trimumpuni, IBEKA, Indonesia, Senator Adrian Banie Lasimbang, Borneo; Sherzad Ali Khan, Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN); U Aung Myint, Renewable Energy Association of Myanmar (REAM)
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JOIN US - LAUNCH OF HPNET'S 2019 WEBINAR SERIES!

3/24/2019

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In partnership with the WISIONS of Sustainability Initiative and Energypedia, we are conducting a 4-part, quarterly webinar series on hydro mini-grids -- starting this month.   Join us!  Details below.

Renewable energy mini-grids are a cost-effective and reliable solution for energy access. Within the technologies available for mini-grids, micro/mini hydropower (MHP) has added advantages. It's techno-economic characteristics, such lower levelized cost of electricity, per kilowatt cost, and no need for battery storage, make it economically viable for grid interconnection and productive end use applications.

​Because MHP hardware can be manufactured locally and maintained by local actors, MHP development imparts local skills and jobs, which can evolve into local MHP enterprises. In addition, MHP strengthens catchment area and watershed protection, in turn increasing the climate resilience of vulnerable communities in hilly regions.

The number of hydro mini-grids in rural areas of Asia, Africa, and Latin America far exceed other types of mini-grids. As a proven technology with an extensive track record, micro and mini hydropower is the focus in this mini-grid webinar series. The objective of the series is to facilitate exchange among diverse actors advancing small-scale hydro, and promote approaches that lead to long-term success and optimal local benefits. Each of the four webinars will respectively provide insight on MHP reliability, sustainability, financing, and planning for scalability.

WEBINAR 1, MARCH 28, 2019
MINI-GRID RELIABILITY:  THE ROLE OF TRAINING CENTERS FOR MICRO/MINI HYDROPOWER
Watch here:​

Stay tuned for the upcoming webinars here at this link!

WEBINAR 2, LATE JUNE

MINI-GRID FINANCING:  ENABLING THE ROLE OF LOCAL BANKS

WEBINAR 3, LATE SEPTEMBER
MINI-GRID SUSTAINABILITY: TRANSITIONING TO ENTERPRISE-BASED MICRO HYDROPOWER

WEBINAR 4,  EARLY DECEMBER
MINI-GRID PLANNING:  DATA MAPPING TOOLS FOR MULTI-ACTORS
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Myanmar micro Hydro Evolution:  the Impact of ground-truthing and Multi-actor dialogue

3/30/2015

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Micro hydro in Myanmar has blown us away.  

Thanks to ground-truthing research done by the Renewable Energy Association of Myanmar (REAM), we came to know that Myanmar's micro hydro practitioners quietly, over the last few decades, have been designing, fabricating, installing, and sustaining several hundreds of community-owned micro hydro projects -- without external funding or technical support!  
This type of simple, steady, and scaled implementation of micro hydro is rare without external support.  HPNET member U Sai Htun Hla has commissioned 150 pico/micro hydro projects in the last 15 years.  His mentor, over 80 years old in age, U Khun Khaw, has commissioned over 100 projects and has stopped counting. :)  There are several others, including new practitioners from a younger generation, Ko Khun Aung Myo and Ko Zaw Min, who bring university training to micro hydro engineering and design processes, e.g. CAD tools for drawings and Google for self-training.
These practitioners have self-financed most of their projects, allowing the communities to repay the capital costs within 5+ years of commissioning.  Because the projects have been commissioned on very low budgets -- affordable by local communities -- they have been forced to use low quality hardware and no load controllers, leading to frequent technical issues.

But things are changing for the better:
  • In Nov. 2014, HPNET member U Aung Myint, General Secretary of REAM, spearheaded a practice-to-policy exchange on micro hydro, with support from the WISIONS SEPS grant and many others.  The exchange brought proven experts from Indonesia, Nepal, and Sri Lanka to Myanmar to firsthand dialogue with policy-makers, civil society groups, international aid organizations, and practitioners.
  • REAM's Nov. workshop encouraged the SE4ALL initiative -- led by the Myanmar government and the World Bank's off-grid energy program -- to invite the local practitioners to give their first-ever Power Point presentation and that too to an audience of high-level government, World Bank, and other national decision-makers!
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  • HPNET invited 2 Myanmar practitioners to its 2nd Annual Gathering of Practitioners, in Bandung, Indonesia, with WISIONS' support.  The practitioners were immensely inspired by the Indonesia's thriving private sector for micro hydro.  They saw the resulting transformation of turbine and load controller fabricators who had started with little experience but now offered standardized and fail-proof products.  With support from GIZ, the Indonesian fabricators had long formed an association of micro hydro developers, the Asosiasi Hidro Bandung, which has 100+ members committed to high quality micro hydro development and to lobbying for supportive policy.  The Indonesian progress relayed much-needed confidence to the Myanmar practitioners to build high quality hardware, be financially sustainable, and attract talented young engineers to their micro hydro work.
  • The Myanmar practitioners were so inspired by the Indonesians, that within days of returning from the HPNET meeting, they kick-started their own association.  The Small Hydro Power Association of Myanmar (SHPAM) is now collectively voicing for targeted financing, technical knowledge, and institutional capacity building to upgrade their work. 
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  • We eagerly await to see whether SHPAM's requests are answered by the agencies involved -- particularly the World Bank, as it is assisting the Myanmar government to design its SE4ALL program this month!  We are hopeful that micro hydro and other renewable energy mini grids are equally prioritized with mainstream but disenfranchising electrification paths being considered by the government and international financiers (including the World Bank).

This evolution is an example of how ground-truthing and in-person exchange can rapidly lead to new developments.  Without REAM's study of the field situation and multi-actor dialogue, the local micro hydro practitioners in Myanmar would have remained invisible to the government and the World Bank, during a very critical phase in Myanmar's energy planning.  And without the Myanmar practitioners' visit to Indonesia, their confidence to form an association to lobby for solutions to improve their work would not have quickly transpired.

We will keep you posted on how the micro hydro (r)evolution in Myanmar continues. :)


By Dipti Vaghela, HPNET Coordinator

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2nd Annual gathering of practitioners at hycom

2/21/2015

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On Feb. 2-6, 2015, HPNET's 2nd Annual Gathering of Micro Hydro Practitioners was  held at the ASEAN Hydropower Competence Centre (HYCOM), supported by WISIONS of Sustainability, and coordinated by Janathakshan, PT Entec Indonesia, Bandung Hydro Association (AHB), EnDev Indonesia, and IBEKA. HYCOM is a knowledge centre, offering training as well as facilitating research and development for micro, mini, and small hydropower sectors. In addition to a variety of targeted training activities, HYCOM supports the hydro industry in developing, testing, and improving their product at the national, regional, and international level.

HPNET consists of practitioners with various backgrounds from public sector, private companies, and grassroots organisations.The gathering was attended by 34 practitioners from 11 countries (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Thailand), making it one of the most international and diverse MHP-dedicated gatherings in Indonesia in many years. Site visits to mhp installations and electromechanical component manufacturers allowed participants to see closely how the industry has grown in Indonesia. These visits also served to excite participants’ ambitions in their home countries.

As part of the agenda, intense discussion sessions were organized to refresh the Network’s vision and working plan for the coming year and beyond. Technology transfer, knowledge sharing, and policy advising remain some of the main focus areas adopted by HPNET, but the importance of community involvement and local capacity building received special emphasis.

HPNET emphasizes overall sustainability by putting community empowerment as the core, ultimate goal. Forest and water conservation, productive use of energy, as well as technology innovation also will be strongly pursued by the Network, which has agreed that joint collaborations on transnational MHP initiatives are a vital mechanism to maintain and enhance the momentum of MHP development.

Gerhard Fischer, the holistic expert behind HYCOM, with over 30 years of experience in MHP development, thought the event to be very beneficial for all participants: “I am quite convinced that for these small power plants – maybe up to 100kW – the knowhow should be there where the site is. It should be accessible for the villages. That’s why the success of these things in Nepal, Indonesia, and other countries like Pakistan is connected with the local fabrication of the equipment. We need networking. Each country has its own development. To look what is working where and to coordinate this knowhow and to make it available is a very important thing.”

Fischer went on to explain the value of HPNET in linking institutions with similar targets. “We should work together,” Fischer added, “and also take seriously into account what others have done to develop the technology.”

By HPNET members Amalia Suryani (EnDev Indonesia) and Patrick Pawletko (Tonibung)

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