Minister Jonan Encourages the Development of Communal Biogas Based on Potential of Renewable Energy

INDUSTRY.co.id - Pasuruan - Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Ignasius Jonan inaugurated the installation of a communal scale biogas at Pondok Pesantren Terpadu Al-Yasini in Areng-areng Village, Wonorejo Sub-district, Pasuruan Regency, East Java on Saturday (7/4/2018).
The installation of the communal biogas treats human waste for biogas with a biogas digester capacity of 24 cubic meters, capable of producing 81 cubic meters of gas per month, equivalent to 12 LPG tubes of 3 kg per month. In addition to cooking, biogas can also be used for lighting.
The construction of communal biogas installation includes 50 units of WC, biogas digester with capacity of 2x12 cubic meters of fixed dome concrete type, wastewater treatment plant (IPAL) with a capacity of 180 cubic meters, 2 units of biogas lamps and 4 units of biogas stoves.
The cost of constructing a communal biogas installation is sourced from the 2017 APBN and commenced operations in October 2017.
"The APBN is prioritized for development that has a direct impact on the community, should be directly beneficial to the community," said Minister Jonan.
The benefits of this communal biogas program include saving the cost of cooking, reducing dependence on fossil energy and LPG imports, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
For the initial stage, the utilization of communal biogas can reduce the use of 3 kg of LPG per month by 3 tubes, up to 12 tubes under optimal conditions. So it can mengemat monthly expenditure starting from Rp. 75,000 to Rp. 300,000.
In addition to the addition of WC construction, also built wastewater treatment plants that can improve the quality of waste water management in the pesantren environment.
"The addition of 50 WC can reduce the queue time of the santri so that students can be more timely to come to the study room.For cooking also become more efficient because the use of LPG we can reduce.In addition, the time of cooking queue is also so much faster because there is an increase in the number stove, "said Chairman of Al-Yasini Integrated Ponpes Foundation, Zainudin.
Minister Jonan also said that the development of communal biogas is one of the Government's efforts to increase energy access to the community and encourage the utilization of energy from resources based on local renewable energy potential.
The development of a communal biogas installation is part of renewable energy utilization as an effort to realize the national energy mix target. Management of biogas from waste can create a synergetic pattern of waste management that is the utilization of affordable energy and environmentally friendly energy, starting from a small scale.
On this occasion, Minister Jonan also expressed his appreciation and appreciation to Pasuruan Regency Government and Pondok Pesantren Al-Yasini that have cooperated to support the implementation of renewable energy program based on bioenergy (Biogas Komunal) in the boarding school.
For information, Al-Yasini Integrated Pondok Pesantren was established in 1940. At the beginning of the pesantren activities in the form of Qur'an recitation took place in the mosque followed by santri mukim and santri community around the pesantren. Currently, the number of students staying at this Ponpes is about 3,000 people consisting of 1,200 male students and 1,800 female students.