Universitas Indonesia (UI) through the Tropical Renewable Energy Center (TREC), a research center under the Faculty of Engineering (FT) Universitas Indonesia (UI) has once again shown an active role in the development of renewable energy in Indonesia. TREC participated as the drafting team of the Indonesian National Standard (SNI) in the preparation of SNI 9233:2024 which was established by the National Standardization Agency (BSN) on April 25, 2024. The standard was published under the title “Safety Requirements for Power Electronic Converter Systems and Equipment-Specific Requirements for US/US Boost Converters with a Rated Voltage of Not More than 330 V US for Household Electrical Appliances”.
SNI 9233:2024 was prepared through the self-development path by Technical Committee 29-01, consisting of experts representing stakeholders in the field of electricity. The SNI self-development pathway refers to a standard formulation process that involves a consensus-based approach and scientific evidence. In this case, SNI does not only refer to one international standard, but can take reference from several other relevant standards. Unlike adopting international standards, the self-development pathway allows SNI to be formulated in accordance with national needs and local conditions in Indonesia.
After going through a polling stage on November 18, 2023 to December 3, 2023, the final result was approved and designated as Indonesian National Standard (SNI) 9233:2024. The SNI development process involves several stages, namely the SNI National Standard Formulation Program (PNPS), preparation of the Draft SNI (RSNI1) concept, technical meeting and consensus meeting of RSNI2, RSNI3 poll, RSNI4 finalization, and determination of the Final Draft SNI (RASNI) into SNI. With the existence of SNI 9233: 2024, it is expected to provide clear guidance to improve the safety of the use of DC-DC Converter equipment systems and industries in Indonesia in the future.
Chairman of the SNI Conceptor Team from TREC Dr.-Ing. Eko Adhi Setiawan, S.T., M.T., IPU., APEC Eng., said, “This standard is basically compiled by referring to the device produced by my research and friends at TREC FTUI funded by LPDP, namely DCON, a DC-DC Converter with an electric power conversion capacity of 2.5-3 kilowatts. DCON has the ability to generate direct current electrical power and deliver it to various household appliances such as PC computers, laptops, televisions, cell phones, water heaters, and lamps without requiring modifications to existing equipment. The main advantage of DCON is that the electricity generated is more stable and efficient compared to conventional alternating current (AC) systems.”
Currently, the majority of people in Indonesia still use AC electricity, which is alternating current. On the other hand, DCON is an electrical conversion device capable of producing direct current (DC) up to a voltage of 330V. This is because DCON is still classified as a new technology and its users are still limited to early adapters. This tool has great potential to encourage the use of renewable energy in the residential sector because DCON utilizes battery technology that is charged from solar panels, fuel cells or small-scale wind turbines. Therefore, TREC FTUI proposed the preparation of standards to BSN.
Furthermore, Dr. Eko explained that the initial concept behind the design of DCON was to create renewable energy that can be applied in household electricity systems. In 2021, DCON has received international recognition with the order of three DCON devices by The Hawai’i Natural Energy Institute (HNEI), which is one of the leading energy research centers in the United States. DCON is used as a key component in DC’s GridStart / microgrids project which aims to develop, test, and evaluate innovative renewable energy technologies. With this, DCON is clear evidence that domestic products are able to compete and be recognized internationally.
Tropical Renewable Energy Center or TREC is a renewable energy research center of the Faculty of Engineering, University of Indonesia, which was established in 2015. TREC focuses on empowering renewable energy sources in Indonesia to support national energy security and sustainability. Currently, there are nine research focuses of TREC, namely Green Building, Circular Economy and Waste Management, Smart Grids, Materials for Energy, High Voltage, Energy Storage, Energy from Biomass, Fluid Energy, and Maritime Energy.
