Energy

Help rural poor with energy efficient stove

Posted in Energy on April 23rd, 2009 by iip – 5 Comments

A recent publication of national newspaper Kompas shows a finding of energy efficient cooking stove. The stove has ability to burn a kilo of fuel wood remaining only a small of ashes. Supriyanto, the creator, called the stove as Kompor Jimat or energy saving stove.

The founder made the stove from used materials enabling rural people get it easier. He designs the stove so it works efficient while burning the fuel wood. Mass usage of the stove will decrease fuel wood consumption; therefore sustaining forest resources.

Why we should care on the development of energy efficient stove on the rural area?

Indonesia promotes “Nyamplung” as potential source of biofuel

Posted in Energy on November 18th, 2008 by iip – Comments Off

Your engine car could be powered by coastal tree-based oil. It seed was extracted than tested to fuel the stove replacing kerosene. For developing countries such Indonesia, kerosene is the important fuel for daily need of cooking. If the oil could be used for cooking, so it can be used for fueling the engine car too. Of course, it need more research.

Nyamplung (Calophyllum inophyllum L.), a coastal tree called as potential source of biofuel, researcher says. This plant found in west coast of Sumatera, Java, West Kalimantan, Sulawesi to Papua. Nyamplung known as windbreaker and have been planted since 1950 along the coast of Java by forest state-owned company Perhutani. This source of biofuel could be better than edible biodiesel sources, such oil palm. What make this tree become significant as the next biofuel sources?

According to researchers of Indonesia Ministry of forestry, nyamplung has several advantages:

Affordable food

Posted in Energy on September 29th, 2008 by iip – 2 Comments

I agree with argument on the development of biofuel threatening Indonesia food security. It happen mainly through land conversion. In the next decades, biofuel crops will dominate agricultural land and decreasing forest land.

Today I read a 2006 publication on agricultural land conversion. It says that the accelerating rate of conversion of agricultural lands in mainly caused by very low incentives to work in agriculture compared to industrial and service sectors. I try to link it with biofuel development.

Commodity price is significant factor in all agricultural bussines. Increasing demand of biofuel lead to the higher price. Thus, farmers will change their commodity to biofuel crops. Biofuel crops seems attractive, but we need to consider about its economic scale. In which land the biofuel crops plantation will economically feasible?

Biofuel crops plantation may feasible in outside java. Oil palm plantations show obvious evidence. Some publications also show about the environmental impacts of oil palm plantation expansion.

And, talking about food security it’s not about land an sich. Food could be physically available, but how about the price? We must make sure that we have good food with affordable price. ~