Inspirational! Students Light Up Isolated Village with Solar Panels
March 17, 2022 – In the PLN 2021-2030 Electric Power Supply Business Plan (RUPTL), it is stated that the portion of New and Renewable Energy (NRE) is targeted to increase by 51.6 percent from the 2019-2028 RUPTL, which is still in the range of 30 percent. The total target for additional power plants is 40.6 GW, with the NRE portion reaching 20.9 GW.
Meanwhile, to increase the NRE and electricity distribution for people in rural areas, according to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, the government also continues to encourage the implementation of the de-dieselization program through the replacement of Diesel Power Plants (PLTD) to NRE plants following the potential of renewable energy in the local area.
Six Universitas Pertamina Civil Engineering students from South Sulawesi Province also contributed to achieving the national energy mix target and the development of NRE in their hometown. They installed solar panels in Kuri Caddi, Nisombalia Village, Marusu District. They are: Muh Nurcholis Ma'arif Dahlan, Nur Alya Taswir, Axel Jevon Trisaktomo, Rigel Iswanto, M. Ryan Tri Hardyawan, and Siti Aulia Ramadhani.
The initial idea for installing solar panels, said Nurcholis, came when he and his team visited the area. “On the way home late in the evening, we were astonished because there were no street lights or lights there. Plus, the poor road conditions made us have to be extra careful. That is when we understand why Dusun Kuri Caddi is often referred to as an isolated area,” said Nurcholis in an online interview on Tuesday (15/03).
Nurcholis and his team came back to Kuri Caddi the next day to meet the head of the village. “In this meeting, we finally found out that the community does not have the money to install and pay regular fees for street lights. We then offered a solution by installing solar-powered street lights, which were immediately welcomed by the Head of Village and the community," said Nurcholis.
Nurcholis and his team then submitted a funding proposal for community empowerment activities to Universitas Pertamina through the LIGHT UP program. In the 2021/2022 Academic Year, Universitas Pertamina budgeted funds worth more than IDR 50 million for the program. After rigorous selection process, no less than 10 student projects in 10 different locations were realized this year.
Bringing survey results to the community, Nurcholis and his team finally determined five points for installing solar-powered street lights assisted by the village apparatus. These five points are crucial points for access to and from Kuri Caddi. Nurcholis and his team then carried out the solar-powered street lights installation on December 18, 2021.
“During the installation of solar-powered street lights, we can directly practice the knowledge we have learned in class. For instance, with basic knowledge in the Materials Engineering Course, we carefully consider the mixed materials used to make the concrete foundation of the lamppost so that it can stand firmly and safely. We also use the Construction Management Course as a guide in carrying out the stages of construction projects. For example, how to do good welding of iron, its installation from one component to another, and so on,” said Nurcholis.
The head of Kuri Caddi, Sapri, S.Pd.I, expressed his gratitude and appreciation to Nurcholis and the team. "Not only making road access easier, but these students have also provided education about what is NRE and how to use it to the residents of Kuri Caddi. In the future, we hope that this collaboration can continue and expand. For example, helping fishermen in Kuri Caddi utilize the solar panel lighting source to save on battery or generator costs," said Sapri.
For students interested in the issue of energy infrastructure development, they can choose the Civil Engineering Study Program at Universitas Pertamina. The campus, created by PT Pertamina (Persero), invites the best youths from all over the country to register for the Report Score Selection (Non-test) and the Online Entrance Examination for the 2022/2023 Academic Year. Universitas Pertamina also provides various scholarships to help students. Further information can be accessed on the https://universitaspertamina.ac.id/registration page.**