Metrobali.com - It is Wayan Sudarmi, 37 years old, a housewife who also runs household industry producing traditional rice crackers. A mother of two children who resides in Rendang Village, Rendang Subdistrict, Karangasem Regency, Bali.
Ibu Wayan, as she is often referred to, does not bother with significant challenges even though rumours about price increase of fuel and LPG in the near future have been confirmed.
For Ibu Wayan, whose husband is just an employee at a one of the white rafting operator, the information should normally be responded by getting ready to rethink about her household financial management. On the contrary, the news doesn’t seem to bother this family.
It is obvious the reason is because this family is no longer dependent to the LPG. Since they built the Domestic Biogas (BIRU) reactor in the backyard near the kitchen, close to their farm animal (hog) pen. They have been able to save the household fuel costs up to an equivalent cost of two 12-kg capacity LPG tanks each month. That is for their household and crackers’ business needs.
Similarly for Ibu Wayan’s crackers’ business. As she has been able to save the fuel costs, the business has been able to increase the profit up to 50% from the normal profit they had enjoyed throughout these times.
“It used to be, we need between 6 and 7 tanks of 12 kg-capacity LPG. Today, we only need to buy between 3 to 4 tanks of LPG every month,” uttered Ibu Wayan regarding the cost saving they have managed since installing BIRU reactor.
In addition to untouched by the fluctuated LPG price in the marketplace, this family has also started to enjoy the fresh air around their home as the odour of pig manures which have overpowered the fresh air have steadily disappeared along with the manure processing into the BIRU reactor for later converted into biogas.
“BIRU biogas is not only useful for fueling the stoves, but may also fuel the lights which is almost similar to pressurised paraffin lamp. Ultimately we manage to save the costs on our electricity bill,” added Wayan Sudana, 37 years old, the husband of Ibu Wayan Sudarmi.
“Additionally, the sludge of the biogas is already a high quality organic fertilisers,” added Pak Wayan.
Domestic Biogas
As of the end of May 2013, more than 430 households in Bali have put biogas and organic fertilisers produced by the processed cattle manures to use through Domestic Biogas (BIRU) Programme. Users of BIRU Programme are scattered throughout 39 subdistricts in 9 regencies/ municipalities in Bali.
BIRU Programme is managed by Yayasan Rumah Energi. This programme is a collaboration programme between the Government of Indonesia and the Government of the Netherlands. The programme commenced on May 2009 and was started by Hivos. Hivos is humanitarian organisation for development collaboration based in the Netherlands. It established collaboration with the Ministry of Energy and Minera Resources of the Republic of Indonesia through the Directorate General of New, Renewable,and Conservation of Energy (DJEBTKE).
Through BIRU programme, the interested dairy farmers will receive a Rp 2 million worth of subsidy per reactor in the forms of equipments and advocacies (after sales service) rather than a cash money. Training on BIRU reactor maintenance and sludge processing and conversion into organic fertilisers will also be provided by BIRU programme.
In running the programme, BIRU establishes collaboration with a number of local organisations such as NGOs, cooperatives, as well as other private sectors in their roles as construction partners. In Bali, this programme embraces 7 construction partners namely Yayasan BOA, Yayasan Manikaya Kauci, Yayasa IDEP, Koperasi MUK, and mason groups based in Klungkung. These mason groups namely are Abadi and Dewata Mason Group and Yayasan Padma Bhakti Pertiwi.
BIRU is exploring the possibility of building a partnership with micro finance institutions to provide a low interest loan for potential BIRU users with limited financial resources.
This programme has set a target to build 10,000 units of reactor until the end of 2013 in various provinces with potentials in Indonesia. As of today, BIRU has constructed 9,300 units scattered throughout in 8 provinces throughout Indonesia, namely West Java, Central Java and D.I. Yogyakarta, East Java, Bali, West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara, Lampung, and South Sulawesi.
All-Bali Coordination Meeting is organised to align BIRU Programme with relevant parties both private sector and government. Yayasan Rumah Energi routinely organises Coordination Meeting bi-annually.
BIRU once again organises Stakeholder Meeting on July 4, 2013. This meeting takes place in Cipta Room of the Office of Public Works of the Bali Province in Denpasar.
The objective of this meeting is to present BIRU programme achievement throughout these times and to receive feedback from relevant parties, in order to enhance the benefits of BIRU Programme for the communities in Bali in a sustainable manner. RED-MB