Micro Hydro in Borneo

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Pre Project Activities -2

top left- measuring level, top right- measuring flow using flow meter, bottom left -topography and head measurement using theodolite, bottom right - measuring flow using salt gulp method

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Sharing some information about micro hydro

It is cheap and affordable alternative, each CBMHP system can be constructed, installed and operated by a single Project grant of US$ 50,000.

The electricity benefit the entire local community or village and thereby improving their sustainable livelihoods and alternative income opportunities

local community members is also capable to operate and maintain the system and make repairs when required.

Mitigating climate change from the emission of GHGs from diesel-run generators,

Enhances the conservation of biodiversity by managing the water catchments areas to ensure the steady and consistent flow of the river water for driving the micro-hydros.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Linking Remote Communites to the World

E-Buayan .. linking the community to the world

Community Tele centre powered by Solar and Micro Hydro power. this centre is linked to the internet using VSAT (very small apature terminal) at a broadband speed. the centra is also equiped with 6 units of small netbooks, an all in one printer,scanner,fax & copier. we all know the effect and the dangers of the internet, so we took very big efforts to train the community and ensure the positive use of internet.

View of the Tele centre, powered by Solar and Micro hydro system. infront of the building is the VSAT
the centre is an initiative by UNIMAS, PACOS and Community funded by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI)
Training for local champions to operate and maintain the centre is also conducted. the community has come up with a very interesting business model to sustain this centre in the future which includes Eco-Tourism, e-marketing and e-Banking.

The tele centre also installed with pay phones for the community use. this have made huge difference when it come to communications to the outside world. before this, the community have to walk at least for one hour to the nearest hill top to make a phone call using cell phone. but now they can make phone call to love ones right at their back yard..

But we don't stop there. as part of out pilot project, we are going to install a Nano GSM system in the tele centre that enables GSM cell network signal in the community and connected using the existing VSAT instead of contstructing a RBS tower and using Micro wave that consumes huge ammount of electricity. the VSAT system does not use lot of energy only around 100 watts - so even a 1 kw solar power system is enough to power the whole system including the telecente.

Community members carrying solar panels for the Tele Centre, the village can only be reached by 4 hours trekking along narrow trails or by helicopter. All the equipment had to be transported by porters or Helicopter

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Powered By Green Energy

There was an article at The Star about our micro Hydro project in Kg. Lumpagas that we just kicked off last month through generous support from DiGi .. next month we will start similar project through support from CIMB bank in Kg Saliman. lets light up Pensiangan.. the last frontier of Sabah!!

you can see the full article through the following Link

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/1/3/focus/3105412&sec=focus

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Sabah villagers harness power of river water

The Star Online > Southneast
Thursday July 30, 2009
Story and photos by NORMIMIE DUIN

PENAMPANG: Though their village remains inaccessible by road, 400 villages of Kampung Buayan on the Crocker Range here are enjoying round-the-clock power supply.

The electricity is not only free but is produced in a pollution-free way by harnessing the power of a nearby river.

This mini-hydro system was launched by Penampang MP and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, on Monday.

Having power supply means so many things to so many people here.

“Schoolgoing children are now able to study at night and use a computer at home,” said Robert Gubal, 33, headmaster of the village’s only primary school which has 53 pupils.

Kampung Buayan chief John Sabating, 45, said the system was capable of generating up to 10 megawatts of electricity.

The villagers no longer needed to rely on kerosene lamps and small generators that used expensive petrol, he said.

“The system also means there is no longer a need to carry fuel from Donggongon town, which required a three-hour walk and a hour’s ride on a four wheel drive,” he added.

The villagers built the system with help from Raleigh International volunteers and technical support from local NGOs namely Partners in Community Organisation, Tonibung and Jaringan Orang Asal seMalaysia.

Danish International Development Agency (Danida) contributed RM250,000 for the system that cost RM450,000.

Another RM100,000 was contributed by Dompok and Moyog state assemblyman Donald Mojuntin.

Pacos Trust president Dr Felix Tongkul said the Kampung Buayan mini-hydro system was the fifth to be supported by Pacos, with the earlier ones being built in Long Lawen, Belaga and Bario Asal in Sarawak and Kampung Terian and Kampung Bantul in Sabah.

The system produces electricity via a small turbine with an electronic load controller for stability and safety.

The project included enrichment planting and mapping to ensure sustainability of the water resource that ran the system.

Dr Felix said the system incorporated a rice mill and an irrigation system as well.

Micro hydro power best rural option: Dompok

Daily Expores

Published on: Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Penampang: Micro hydro power systems which are now supplying round-the-clock electricity to a few remote villages in Sabah may be the answer to lighting up the farthest reaches of the State.

Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok said he had mooted the idea to the Government as the only alternative for villages in rural areas.

"It is because you can't connect every village to the power grid. I'm very happy there are NGOs interested in this. Otherwise, it is something the Government has to do."

Dompok, who is also Penampang MP, said this after launching a 10kw micro hydro powere system for residents of Buayan, a remote community tucked deep in the foothills of the Crocker Range, Monday.

He was responding to Malaysian Environmental NGOs (Mengo) Coordinator (Community-Based Natural Resource Management), Adelaine Tan, who said besides being a renewable energy system it would contribute to the watershed conservation programme in this area.

"This micro hydro system should be emulated in other remote parts of Sabah and Malaysia and our government should seriously consider financial support for this system under the 10th Malaysian Plan," she said.

The micro hydro power system is an integrated system that incorporates renewable energy and watershed conservation as well as rice mill and irrigation system for socio economic development.

At Buayan, villagers who used to depend on fuel-powered generator now get to enjoy uninterrupted power, thanks to the RM450,000 facility which has been up and running since last month.

This will certainly bode well for the farming community of about 30 families, comprising more than 300 people, as they look to improve their lot in the village which is about six hours walk from Donggongon town.

The facility was put up through a gotong-royong effort by the community with organisational and technical support from Partners of Community Organisations or Pacos, local organisation Tonibung and Jaringan Orang asal SeMalaysia (JOAS).

A delighted Dompok had nothing but praise for those involved in the project. "I think it (effort) is very laudable (and) very encouraging to see the working relationship between the people, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and government.

"This is a very do-able project with everyone throwing their weight behind it," he said to reporters who were taken by helicopter to the village.

"Hopefully the residents would continue with the cooperation among themselves and probably the NGOs to ensure this (effort) is continued.

"I think this is working and it is a good thing that the community is getting together to organise themselves, with the help of NGOs and the Government."

Initiated in 2006 following preliminary survey works at the Tomboining River, the system design and full proposal was completed in March 2007 with collaboration from Era Wira Sdn Bhd, a local company promoting alternative technology, and Indonesian-based company specialising in micro-hydro technology, Heksa Hydro.

Through the proposal, a total grant amounting ton RM250, 000 was secured from Danida (Danish International Development Agency) through JOAS, and UNDP Global Environment Facility's (GEF) Small Grant Programme through Tonibung.

The MP and Assistant Finance Minister-cum-Moyog Assemblyman Donald Mojuntin also contributed RM100,000 to the project through various allocations.

The micro hydro site was completed in 2008 through cooperation between the local community and volunteers from Raleigh International.

Pacos Trust President, Dr Felix Tongkul said the Kg Buayan residents were itching to get a micro hydro system ever since their neighbours in Kg Terian, about three hours walk from the village, obtained theirs about four years ago.

Among the problems they faced were funding and getting the villagers to support the project which was not too difficult to do.

"The important thing was whether the community really wanted it and they did (and) they were also supported by nearby villages," he said, calling for continued assistance from NGOs and the government in implementing more community-based projects.

This micro hydro power system is the fifth of its kind supported by Pacos since 2001, with the previous ones implemented at Long Lawen in Belaga, Kg Terian, Kg Bantul in Pensiangan and Bario Asal in Bario.

http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/print.cfm?NewsID=66623