Three students of the Department of Mechanical Engineering (DTM), Faculty of Engineering (FT), Universitas Indonesia (UI) initiated a micro-hydro power plant that can be an alternative solution for areas with unstable or limited electricity networks. The innovation is named Varuna: Electrifying Sustainable Communities with Clean Energy Through Smart-Nature Friendly Micro Hydro Power Plants, led Amar Falah Riyanto, Farras Hafizh Al Farisi, and Ivan Kusno to win 1st place at the International Youthpreneur Competition, Ganesha Business Fest 2024.
Indonesia, as an archipelago of thousands of islands, has unique challenges in terms of providing reliable and equitable electrical energy. In many rural and remote areas, the national grid is often unable to reach or provide a steady supply of electricity. As a result, communities in these areas rely on diesel power plants. “As released by antaranews.com, there are currently 5,200 electric and diesel power plants in Indonesia. These power plants, while effective in providing energy, have high operational costs and are a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, making them an unsustainable solution from both an economic and environmental perspective,” said Farras on the background of his innovation.
Through this innovation, Farras and his colleagues created Varuna as a micro hydro power plant. He added, “Varuna can generate enough electricity to meet the needs of communities in rural areas where the electricity grid is unstable or limited. The idea came about because the majority of diesel power plants, which are costly and the highest emitter of greenhouse gases after coal, in Indonesia are located in rural and remote areas.”
In this context, Farras and his team introduced Varuna, a micro-hydro power plant designed to address these issues. Varuna is capable of generating enough electricity to meet the needs of communities in rural areas at lower capital and operating costs than diesel power plants. In addition, Varuna can be operated quickly in areas with potential river flow, provides energy independence through micro-grids, and offers a much lower environmental impact compared to other renewable energy sources.
In its application, Varuna utilizes river water flow to generate electricity. The river water is directed through a channel with a protective mesh that prevents aquatic animals and other debris from reaching the turbine. The potential and kinetic energy of the water is then converted into mechanical energy with a Kaplan turbine that rotates a generator to produce electricity. After going through the turbine, the water will eventually be returned to the river flow through a special channel to prevent sedimentation. In addition, Varuna is also equipped with automatic floodgates to prevent water overflow during the rainy season.
The Dean of FT UI, Prof. Dr. Ir. Heri Hermansyah, ST, M.Eng., IPU, said, “The potential of hydro in Indonesia is very huge considering its geographical condition which is rich in rivers and streams. Large islands such as Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and Papua have many rivers that flow throughout the year, making them ideal locations for the development of micro hydro power plants. By utilizing this potential, Varuna not only provides a sustainable energy solution but also contributes to the reduction of harmful greenhouse gas emissions and high operational costs of diesel power plants.”
In the future it is expected that there will be an improvement in the quality of life in remote areas through more reliable and sustainable access to electricity. It will also support the Indonesian government’s initiative to increase the use of renewable energy and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. This innovation is not only economically beneficial but also supports global efforts in fighting climate change and creating a cleaner and healthier environment for future generations.
