Hydro power is generated by using electricity generators to extract energy from moving water.

Energy stored in the flow of rivers and oceans can be utilized by using a hydro kinetic power generating device that extracts the energy.

Sea and river currents with very low speeds are widely available in many parts of the world. Even though the speed is below 6 km / hour or about 2 m / sec, the energy stored in the current can be used as a source of alternative energy. While the available conventional turbine and paddle wheel requires an average of 3-4 m / sec.

Experts at the University of Michigan have created a machine that is called the VIVACE converter, known as the first device with the ability to take energy from most flows in rivers and seas throughout the world.

For detailed information: Journal of Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering, VIVACE (VORTEX Induced Vibration Aquatic Clean Energy): A New Concept in Generation of Clean and Renewable Energy From Fluid Flow, November 2008.

Micro Hydro & Pico Hydro

An important application of hydro kinetic power for rural communities in Indonesia, which is used by YBUL, is micro and pico hydro technology.

Micro hydro technology is a technology that utilizes the availability of large amounts of water to produce electricity. It has the following applications:

• Micro Hydro: hydroelectric power installations tat typically produce up to 100 kW of power. It can provide power to households or small communities.
• Pico Hydro: hydroelectric power installations for generating power under 5 kW. It can be used for small, remote communities that only require a small amount of electricity, e.g. for lights, radio and television.

Micro hydro technology is an important technology for Indonesia. A great majority of the rural population still lives without the service of electricity. The beauty of electricity produced by small hydro turbine generator system is that the electricity is in alternating current form, and hence readily available for use to drive machines, such as sawing machines. Installation of small hydro systems in rural villages can be difficult if the approach is not right, because it requires a change of habit and attitude. Hence YBULs approach is to deliver the technology to a recipient with responsibility, including self management, self regulating etc. This is important because small hydro turbine generator systems require operators, maintenance and catchment area preservation together must become a village business activity.

YBUL installed 3 (three) small hydro turbine generator systems under the sponsorship of USAID in the years 2001- 2002. Two of them were installed at PT CAKRA, a tea plantation company located in the hills of CIWIDE, south of the city of Bandung, West Java, Indonesia with a capacity of 120 kW each, and one turbine generator at the village Garung, south of the town Garut, also in West Java, with a capacity of 15 kW.

While the first two are operated and maintained by a company to replace the use of diesel oil for electricity generation, the third system was for community power.

The two turbine generator systems at PT.CAKRA were built at a cost of US$ 400,000 and they saved the company IDR 1,800,000,000 (2006) millions per annum (avoided diesel cost). The 15 kW turbine generators at the village Garung, due to the entrance of electricity supplied by the utility PLN, has now been moved to the village Ciderum, near the city of Bogor in cooperation with the management of the forest protection of Gede Pangrango Mountains. This has been carried out with the expectation of protection of trees around the water catchment area by the electricity consumers, as part of their environmental responsibility.

YBUL presently works on developing small scale micro-hydro systems, aimed at supporting the Indonesian government to expand its program on renewable energy development and rural electrification.  Shifted paradigms from “development project approach” to “community movement” will be used to base YBUL’s strategies in the small scale micro-hydro development, so that micro-hydro systems will eventually become on the shelves items, available in packages and ready to install.  Another important strategy employed by YBUL is integrating two important sectors in renewable energy development, forestry and energy, so that programs will be based on close collaboration between these two sectors.  The supply side of the program (forestry) can promote climate adaptation by conserving watershed areas through e.g. maintenance and or improvement of forest biomass, while at the demand side, the energy sector can promote micro-hydro generators to substitute fossil fuel based on electricity provided by the State Electric Company, as part of the climate mitigation efforts.

In carrying out these approaches, started in mid 2008, YBUL has collaborated with different stakeholders through building a consortium that includes the following partners: The Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park, Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), The Conservation International (CI), Bogor Pakuan University, Lembaga Pertanian Sehat, Community Organizations called Tunas Mekar and Gerakan Listrik Masyarakat (Gelimas), as well as Center for Energy and Power Studies (CEPS) – PLN. 

The consortium agreed to build a demonstration area for two very small micro-hydro systems (650W and 4.5KW) in Ciderum Village, Caringin sub-district, Bogor, West Java, which has various functions: training for local community to become experts on micro-hydro development, providing a field laboratory for students, providing home electricity for the rural poor living in the village, promoting local productive uses, supporting information and education, improving sanitation through provision of clean water, etc.