Implementing triple helix through Listrik Kerakyatan initiative: community-based energy from waste

Abstract

As depicted by its three components, A (academic), B (business), and G (government), the Triple Helix principle aims at narrowing the gap between the competencies of university graduates and those required by businesses or industries in the real world, under the corridor of government rules and regulations. The main issues that will be addressed by the triple helix concept is the national policy to attain 23% of renewable energy portion by the year 2025. However, the conventional electricity construction, which usually prefer a large-scale interconnected system, is currently facing serious delay due to difficulties in acquiring land and permit. Moreover, such large-scale power plants are not sufficient to serve consumers that are scattered in more than three thousand islands in Indonesia archipelago. In addition, such big projects are mostly owned by giant investors that depend on foreign fund and technology, leaving no opportunity for local people to contribute and have ownership over their energy needs. STT PLN proposes a simple small-scale distributed generation that can be owned and managed by local people by using renewable energy sources that are available around the communities. Waste is the most attractive resources because by converting waste to energy, the problem of waste can be solved at the same time. Based on the research and pilot project that had been conducted in three locations, Listrik Kerakyatan (Community-based Electricity) is technically simple so it can be applied and managed by local people. It is also economically viable as the required capital is relatively small and affordable by small enterprises. The commutative law of math also says that 1x1000 = 1000 x1. Therefore, going by that law, the total capacity generated by 1000 units of small LKs can be similar to one large unit of conventional model.