In the News

Sabah villagers harness power of river water


PENAMPANG: Though their village remains inaccessible by road, 400 villages of Kampung Buayan on the Crocker Range here are enjoying round-the-clock power supply.

The electricity is not only free but is produced in a pollution-free way by harnessing the power of a nearby river.



                                Versatile: The power house incorporating the mini-hydro system.

This mini-hydro system was launched by Penampang MP and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, on Monday.

Having power supply means so many things to so many people here. Schoolgoing children are now able to study at night and use a computer at home,” said Robert Gubal, 33, headmaster of the village’s only primary school which has 53 pupils.

Kampung Buayan chief John Sabating, 45, said the system was capable of generating up to 10 kilowatts of electricity. The villagers no longer needed to rely on kerosene lamps and small generators that used expensive petrol, he said.

“The system also means there is no longer a need to carry fuel from Donggongon town, which required a three-hour walk and a hour’s ride on a four wheel drive,” he added.
 Village technology: Dompok (right) being briefed about the system by Pacos Trust member Adrian Lasimbang (left).

The villagers built the system with help from Raleigh International volunteers and technical support from local NGOs namely Partners in Community Organisation, Tonibung and Jaringan Orang Asal seMalaysia.

Danish International Development Agency (Danida) contributed RM250,000 for the system that cost RM450,000. Another RM100,000 was contributed by Dompok and Moyog state assemblyman Donald Mojuntin.

Pacos Trust president Dr Felix Tongkul said the Kampung Buayan mini-hydro system was the fifth to be supported by Pacos, with the earlier ones being built in Long Lawen, Belaga and Bario Asal in Sarawak and Kampung Terian and Kampung Bantul in Sabah.

The system produces electricity via a small turbine with an electronic load controller for stability and safety.

The project included enrichment planting and mapping to ensure sustainability of the water resource that ran the system. Dr Felix said the system incorporated a rice mill and an irrigation system as well.

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Minihydro power for fourth remote village

Posted on October 19, 2011, Wednesday
PENSIANGAN: Kampung Saliman has become the latest remote village in the district to be lit up by renewable energy from a microhydro facility.
The 3KW facility that was launched last week provides power supply to about 25 homes in the riverine village of more than 200 people.
The village is the fourth along the Pensiangan River to enjoy power supply from microhydro systems, the others being Kampung Bantul, Lumpagas and Inaakak.
The life-changing development is a result of collaboration between non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the corporate sector and rural communities.
The RM89,000 project was funded by CIMB Bank, through CIMB Foundation, that channels grants to projects under its Community Link initiative.
The project, which took ten months to complete, was carried out on a ‘gotong royong’ basis by community members with technical support from indigenous people’s NGOs, namely Tonibung, Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia and Pacos Trust.
Nabawan assemblyman Datuk Bobbey Suan acknowledged the fruitful collaboration which he described as a “classic case of a good relationship between NGOs and the corporate sector”.
He urged the government to give its fair share of support.
“The government has to work with NGOs to bring sustainable development in the rural areas because NGOs have the technical expertise and the right people to implement a project successfully,” he said.
“This project is a classic case of a good relationship between NGOs and the corporate sector,” he said when officiating at the launch of the system last Friday.
Also present were CIMB Bank representatives, Pensiangan assistant district officer and project coordinator Adrian Lasimbang.
Bobbey, who is also the Assistant Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry, believes that one of the immediate beneficiaries of the project are children who can now enjoy a home environment that is more conducive to do revisions with better lighting and without the irritating loud noise of diesel-powered generator sets.
Meanwhile, Adrian said the renewable energy has relieved villagers of a heavy financial burden.
He said they had been relying on generator sets that cost them RM200-RM300 monthly, which is burdensome for a community of traditional fishermen and farmers.
“Now, instead of having to spend such amount on fuel, they can generate some extra income. Renewable power allows them to keep their fish and game fresh. And with freshness they can fetch a higher price when they sell it at the local market,” he said.
Adrian, whose community-based microhydro projects have won several awards, including the Asean Energy Award a few years ago, stressed that the benefits extend beyond the confines of people’s immediate needs.
He said the project also contributes to environmental conservation as watersheds are a key component of a working microhydro system.
“The bigger picture is that they will now take care of the forest that gives them not only food but also energy. What they do at the community level contributes to addressing climate change issues.”
Adrian hopes that with the latest success of microhydro installation in the rural community, he could replicate similar projects in areas still too remote from the grid.
But he says he needs all the support he can get both from the corporate sector and government.
To date, only about 30 per cent of areas in Pensiangan district is connected to the grid.


Bank brightens lives of 200 with hydropower

10/20/2011
By Kristy Inus

PENSIANGAN: It used to be annoying for pupils in the remote Kampung Nabawan, near here, to study as they were disturbed by the sound but the noisy generators have since been replaced.About 200 people from 25 homes here can now lead brighter lives thanks to a 3kW micro hydropower generator.Located about five hours' drive from Kota Kinabalu and an hour's boat ride, the riverine village has become the latest remote area in the district to be powered with renewable energy.This is the result of a successful collaboration between the non-governmental organisations, corporate sector and the rural communities there.


The RM89,000 project was funded by CIMB Bank through the CIMB Foundation that channels grants to projects under its Community Link initiative.The project took 10 months to complete in a gotong-royong manner by community members, who received technical support from indigenous people-focused non-governmental organisations (NGOs), namely Tonibung, the Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia (Joas) and Pacos Trust.

Nabawan assemblyman Datuk Bobbey Suan said one of the immediate beneficiaries of the project were children."They can now enjoy a more conducive environment at home to study under better lighting and without the annoying loud noise of a diesel-powered generator set," said Bobbey, who is also Sabah assistant minister of agriculture and food industry, during the launch of the programme.


Project coordinator Adrian Lasimbang said having renewable energy as their source of power had relieved villagers of a heavy financial burden.Previously, they were generating electricity to their homes using generator sets with fuel costs between RM200-RM300 monthly, which was rather an expensive amount for a community of traditional fishermen and farmers."Now, instead of spending money on fuel, they can generate some extra income."Renewable power allows them to keep their fish fresh. They can now fetch a higher price at the local market," said Adrian, who is also the climate change workgroup expert in Joas.


Adrian was previously involved in the setting up of micro hydropower system in three other communities along the Pensiangan River -- namely at Kampung Bantul, Lumpagas and Inakaak.He hopes to replicate similar projects in areas still too remote from the power grid.To date, only about 30 per cent of areas in Pensiangan district is connected to the electricity grid.

( END )

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