Transforming Indonesia's Sumba into an Iconic Green Energy Island

Summary

The island of Sumba in Eastern Indonesia, with its unique culture, faces common challenges of poverty, high infant mortality, and diseases. Despite having abundant renewable energy sources, nearly half of the population lacks electricity, relying on expensive and unhealthy kerosene and wood fires. The Dutch NGO Hevos, along with the government, aims to provide 100% renewable energy to most of the island's 650,000 inhabitants. With support from development partners and a technical assistance grant from ADB, small-scale solar projects like in We Potendo village are already bringing power to homes, improving lives and offering a model for wider energy access in Indonesia's poor, isolated communities.

Takeaways

• 🏝️ The Island of Sumba in Eastern Indonesia is culturally unique with its own burial traditions, animist religions, and language.
• 🌐 Despite cultural differences, Sumba faces common problems with other isolated regions, including poverty, high infant mortality, and diseases like malaria.
• 🔋 Access to electricity is a significant issue for the 650,000 inhabitants of Sumba, with nearly half having no access to power and relying on kerosene and wood fires.
• 💡 The use of kerosene and wood fires for lighting and cooking is expensive, unsafe, and unhealthy for the islanders.
• ☀️ Sumba has abundant renewable energy resources, including solar and biomass, with potential for hydro and wind power.
• 🇳🇱 The Dutch NGO Hevos has partnered with the government to set an ambitious goal to provide electricity to most of Sumba's population using 100% renewable energy.
• 🏘️ The village of We Potendo has benefited from a government-sponsored solar project, providing power to 36 houses at a lower cost than kerosene.
• 💼 ADB (Asian Development Bank) joined the initiative in 2013 with a technical assistance grant of one million dollars, later increased to two million dollars with support from the Norwegian government.
• 📈 ADB's involvement aims to scale up renewable energy access in Sumba and other areas of Eastern Indonesia, potentially replicating the model in other regions.
• 🌱 The success of the energy experiment in Sumba could enable Indonesia to provide cost-effective energy access to many other poor and isolated communities.
• 🔌 The initiative is not only about providing electricity but also about improving the quality of life for the islanders, allowing them to work, study, and access modern amenities after dark.

Q & A

What makes the island of Sumba culturally distinct from the rest of Indonesia?

Sumba is culturally distinct due to its unique burial traditions, animist religions, and its own language.

What common problems does Sumba share with other isolated regions in Indonesia?

Sumba shares problems such as poverty, high infant mortality, and common diseases like malaria with other isolated regions.

Why is access to power a significant issue for the islanders of Sumba?

Access to power is a problem because nearly half of the islanders have no access to electricity and rely on expensive, unsafe, and unhealthy kerosene and wood fires for lighting and cooking.

What renewable energy resources are abundant on the island of Sumba?

Sumba has an abundance of solar and biomass resources, as well as significant potential for hydro power and wind.

Which Dutch NGO is working with the government to harness green energy for Sumba?

The Dutch NGO HEVO is working with the government to extend electricity to the majority of Sumba's population using 100 percent renewable energy.

What is the goal of the initiative to turn Sumba into an iconic island of clean energy?

The goal is to extend electricity to the vast majority of Sumba's population using 100 percent renewable energy.

What has been the impact of the small-scale solar project in the village of We Potendo?

The project benefits 36 houses by providing power for a small monthly fee, much lower than the household kerosene bill, allowing villagers to work and study after dark and access television for the first time.

When did the Asian Development Bank (ADB) join the initiative in Sumba?

ADB joined the initiative in 2013 with a technical assistance grant.

What was the initial amount of the technical assistance grant provided by ADB for the renewable energy project in Sumba?

The initial technical assistance grant provided by ADB was worth one million dollars.

How has the ADB's involvement helped the renewable energy project in Sumba?

ADB's involvement helps to scale up renewable energy access in Sumba and other areas of eastern Indonesia, and potentially leverage this model across other geographies within and outside Indonesia.

Why is the success of the energy experiment on Sumba important for Indonesia?

If successful, it could enable Indonesia to widen cost-effective energy access across many other poor and isolated communities.