Because I was going to North Sumatra to 'develop systems'
for the Weaving Centre, and because our building will be finished this month,
it was time to consider the matter of electricity again, but more seriously
this time. Decisions have to be made and very soon. We want to use renewable
forms only. Are they available? Where? In the capital city of the province?
More locally? Or should I be looking to import?
I turned to Google and, to my surprise, found the site
'Solar House' in Medan. I wrote to the proprietor via Facebook and, to my even
greater surprise, received a response in Dutch! Mr. George Frans was an
Indonesian who had lived a good part of his life in The Netherlands. So, too,
his wife, Ibu Vonny. They demonstrated the inimitable hospitality for which
Indonesians are famous, and invited to pick me up and bring me to lunch and
show me their solar systems. What a fabulous opportunity!
The day after landing in Medan, I found myself sitting on
their little porch. The experience was rather like looking at a traditional
Balinese painting: the longer you look, the more you see. Mr. Ossy (as he is
known because the 'George' is hard for Indonesians to pronounce) was
experimenting with and testing a mind-boggling variety of tiny, inexpensive
systems. They took up no room and were so well integrated with the home, that
only when he began to talk and show them, did they really come into view.
I write from a little Homestay at the top of Samosir Island
that utilizes a couple of large solar panels and one large battery. The lights
in the house are bright and, because they are left on at night, without
warning, when the energy is used up, everything is doused in darkness. One does
not know when this will happen. (One hopes one does not have to go to the
bathroom.) The system does not promote energy awareness. The solar panels are
simply installed as substitutes for the state energy that is wired in.
The Solar House is different. It is not small-scale. It is
tiny-scale and every part of its complicated network (complicated now because
it is still being tried out; it will be simplified in time) promotes energy
awareness.
Each room of the house has a tiny solar panel, no larger
than a tablet computer, affixed to the roof.
The energy is wired to an energy controller that has USB
openings so that the energy can be distributed to a battery and little power
banks. The power banks are filled and utilized as required. This is what
promotes the energy awareness.
Pretty well everything runs off USB connections: the lighting, the fan,
the water pumps, the projector that serves the TV and the computer, and even
the mini-refrigerator. The size of the latter promotes consciousness of the use
and storage of food. The system is more complex than simply throwing a switch
but it is also only a tenth of the price if not less. And the system is also
infinitely expandable depending on needs that arise. It also allows for
individuality. Mr. Ossy has a multitude of types of lamps: this little one for
reading (that runs off its own power bank), that large one (with its charger
built in) when overhead lighting is needed, a small one whose power bank allows
it to function until morning, and so on. Energy can be tailored for individuals
needs and tastes. This person likes to work on the computer, another would like
to watch TV, and still another needs to use power tools. I imagine a household
in which everybody meets at the central power controller in the morning to charge their
power banks.
Because the panels are small, they do not support large
energy drains. Mr. Ossy is building his house so that it maximizes the coolness
that nature provides and he does not have to use an electricity-driven cooling
system. His wife is careful with food so that there are not too many things that
need refrigeration. Lights are not left burning, and so on.
Even before he moved back to Indonesia from The Netherlands,
his 'obsession' was written up in an
blog. He is an idealist and he
knows that his ideas are useful. He gives workshops in which the participants
make USB plugs (very easy, he says) and he can also show them how to exchange a regular wall plug
for a USB plug. He surfs the internet and orders the interesting new gadgets as
they become available; then he tests them for usefulness and accuracy.
He knows the market. He is an ideal 'village consultant'. His knowledge is
ideal for the 'poor man', perfect for villagers who have no electricity but who
also have no money to buy a 'regular' (read: large) solar installation. His
findings are ideal for students who can scarcely afford electricity and who
live minimally, and for whom power banks are already a part of daily life. (His
results are also for the 'rich man' who has little energy awareness...).
Pak Ossy wants to help the world kick its dependence on
non-renewable energy. He knows that it is doable to live comfortably with a low
energy footprint. To my utter delight, he was excited by the idea of coming to
our Weaving Centre to help us develop an appropriate energy system. Showing the
villagers his wares is exactly where he wants to invest his talents and
knowledge. Luckily it will be possible to schedule this workshop during my stay
in Indonesia this time. I can hardly wait... and I wonder if he may have transformed
my life back in Holland as well. Knowledge
and inspiration are the two roots of all change. Chance meetings as well.
Thank you, Pak Ossy and Ibu Vonny for the knowledge and
inspiration that you have shared so openly, graciously and enthusiastically with me!
Update.....
On Monday 24 April Pdt W.M. Tarigan drove George Frans and
his wife Vonny to visit us at the Simalungun Weaving Centre and explain how we can use solar equipment for our specific needs. Lasma made a delicious meal and afterwards George took over and
we had our first Weaving Centre Workshop. He very generously donated two of his small systems to support what we do. He seemed very pleased that Ober, Lasma's husband, caught on
so quickly and was able to operate the systems.
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We collected on the 'weaving porch' for the solar
workshop. Pendeta Tarigan and Lasma's father are
in the far left corner, ibu Vonny is exploring my book,
Lasma's sister, Agustina, is hugging her Mom while
watching Pak Ossy connect the systems. Pak Ossy
is inspecting our pump
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We now have a small system working in the bathroom. The
light there goes on only occasionally, only at night (during the day enough
light comes into the bathroom through the glass blocks in the wall), and is
turned off again usually within a matter of minutes. A small solar panel is
more than sufficient to supply this need. It is connected to an
energy-efficient light with an internal rechargeable battery. The next day Ober
affixed the solar panel to the roof, extended the connecting wire, attached the
on-off switch and we now have light in the bathroom that behaves in exactly the
same way as light from PLN (the state-run electrical network) sources. The
whole system costs less than 50 euro.
The bedroom now also has an on-off switch that operates a
lightbulb with its own inbuilt rechargeable battery. This is attached to a
larger panel, approximately 20 x 20 cm., that Ober also installed on the roof.
This larger panel supplies a power controller with USB openings that allows us
to charge other equipment as well.
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Ober (because he was born in October) is clever with his hands.
Here he prepares fresh coconut for us to drink.
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George had ideas for our well pump that we want to explore
as soon as possible so that we get our own water as soon as possible. Right now
we get it from Lasma's parents and lugging it here is no fun.
Pak Ossy is exploring the idea of whether the Weaving Centre can be used as a demonstration model for solar electricity adapted to village needs. We will see whether this idea and opportunity are compelling for Ober.