Indonesia
The archipelago of Indonesia comprises over 17 000
islands (according to the latest count using satellite
mapping) of which approximately 6 000 are inhabited.
Difficulties in extending the national grid across
the islands to the widely-dispersed population meant
that in 1995 only about 58% of the country’s 62 000
villages were electrified. Historically, areas that
could not be supplied with conventional electricity
from the national grid have relied upon hydro-electric
and stand-alone diesel generators to power mini-grids,
or used kerosine for lighting.
Indonesia’s situation close to the equator and its
annual average insolation level make it highly suitable
for the installation of solar energy devices, especially
for the huge rural population and in remote areas.
PV systems were first demonstrated in 1979 through
a water-pumping project and the development of solar
energy has since been supported by the Government,
with assistance from the World Bank and foreign aid
agencies.
The first successful demonstration of the rural electrification
of an Indonesian village using PV occurred in 1989
in Sukatani (Java). The installation which comprised
85 solar home systems (SHS), seven public systems
and 15 street lights, led to the electrification of
a second village, Lebak, in which a further 500 systems
were installed.
The 50 MWp Programme, originally devised in 1992 continues
to progress. In 1997 the government set a target of
50 MWp of PV by 2005, aiming to install one million
SHS nationwide. The Agency for Application and Assessment
of Technology, which coordinates all PV sub-programmes
under the 50 MWp programme, provides favourable financing
conditions, usually in collaboration with foreign
donors.
A 1993 programme for rural medical clinics where kerosine-powered
lighting and refrigeration facilities have been replaced
by PV modules has continued. By 1999 some 5 500 clinics
had been converted, bringing safely stored vaccines
and reliable radio communications to remote areas.
The government has also set targets for the installation
of PV systems for a variety of applications: pumping
stations for rural clean water supplies, TV repeaters,
fishing boat lighting, grid-interconnected housing
etc.
Many local PV projects are sourced through government-instituted
village cooperatives (KUDs). The KUDs participate
in the installation, maintain the systems thereafter,
collect payments and act on behalf of the individual
end-users with banks and government.
Country Notes
(SOLAR ENERGY)
Australia || Canada
|| China
|| France
|| Germany
|| India
|| Indonesia
|| Israel
|| Italy
|| Japan
|| Kenya
|| Korea
(Republic) || Mexico
|| Netherlands
|| Norway
|| South
Africa || Spain
|| Switzerland
|| Thailand
|| United
States Of America
