Society in Wonosari village, Tutur sub-district, Pasuruan regency, never have imagined how their cow dung could be such blessing; to change their life, even achieve them the highest honor for environment in Indonesia, Kalpataru.
Cow dung - or called as "tlethong" in the society - was first considered merely as waste, cause of pollution that can only be used as compost. But since six years ago, the paradigm eroded. Farmers began to acknowledge economical simple technology to change "tlethong" into alternative energy biogas. In present, biogas swaps over kerosene and gas in households' kitchens in Wonosari village.
Biogas even replaces some portions electricity take; lighting and water heater in particular. This leads biogas using to household expenses saving for gas and electricity until more than IDR 350,000 per month. Society's awareness on this issue could not be separated from Milk-cow Farmers Cooperative (KPSP) "Setia Kawan" existence on assembling farmers to utilize "tlethong" as biogas.
Diligence and persistence brings Kalpataru Award to KPSP "Setia Kawan" in environment conservation community category; presented by the President of The Republic of Indonesia Bambang Susilo Yudhoyono at Istana Negara (Negara Palace) on Tuesday May 5th 2012. KPSP currently handles 17.765 milk-cows dung waste. Within six years, KPSP has built 883 units of biodigester used by 1,253 households.
"A milk-cow can produce until 30 kilograms dung per day," said Secretary of KPSP "Setia Kawan" H. Hariyanto, who also in charge of biogas programme enhancement. Endang Trisulawati, a resident in Gendro village, Tutur sub-district, declared how she could save by using biogas. She does not have to use gas energy for cooking no more that is becoming more rare and expensive nowadays.
By biogas, she could also light her house's lamps. "The priceless thing is the feeling of safe in using biogas energy. I do not need to worry anymore if there should ever be a leaking. Leaked biogas can not explode like gas cylinder," said Endang who has been using biogas for six years. Endang has five milk-cows. The amount can provide as material for an 8 meters cubic capacity biodigester, capable to supply two households' needs.
Capital needed to make a digester is IDR 7,5 millions, worth the expenses needed to buy gas within three years. "Waste from cow dung used for biogas can also be utilized as organic fertilizer," said Endang. The biogas path pioneered by this parish could not be parted from Hivos (a humanity institute for development coordination), a non-profit institution funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Hivos - through Domestic Biogas (Biru) Programme - signed partnership with KPSP "Setia Kawan" since October 2009. "We gave IDR 2 million subsidy to implement biodigester, while KPSP "Setia Kawan" gives credits to its members to complete the deficiency," said Wasis Sasmito, coordinator of Biru Programme in East Java. According to him, Domestic Biogas programme is a way to popularize biodigester as continuing local energy resources and enhance prosperity of the society.
The development programme is also expected to be a market-oriented commercial business sector. Biodigester developing in Indonesia is predicted as 10,000 units in quantity until present, while potential resources to be utilized can reach until 1 million units of biodigester. The amount is far from biodigester developments in several developing countries, such as in Vietnam with its 25,000 units, Nepal with 225,000 units and India with 1,5 million digesters. Even China has owned 3 million biodigesters for its modern industries. (to be continued)
ARIE YOENIANTO
Pasuruan
Source: www.seputar-indonesia.com