Let It Light the Darkness: A Dream Comes True
(Original)

Adeline Tiffanie Suwana
(Age 12, Indonesia)
Jubilee

The chirping birds, fertile rice fields, clean-fresh-air, the clear blue sky and the shadow of children in the friendly community of Cilulumpang Village in the mountains of South Cianjur give me energy and power to reach them although I have to walk along the 3 miles terrain.

Cilulumpang is the name of hamlet in the village of Cempaka, Mekarjaya that is reachable within 4 hours drive from Jakarta where I reside and 2 hours walk to reach it.

The population of Cilulumpang reaches almost 300 heads of households with 4-5 members in each of the family. Their source of living is through farming rice and various crops. The Cisoka River flows continuously throughout the season to irrigate rice fields and also for day-to-day needs. All daily needs are met from their existing natural resources.

However, there is only one thing not in Cilulumpang that is lights. Electricity is a dream, longed by the children and the community. There is no electricity at school. Mothers cook with woods, children study under the patch light and they use small flashlight to light at night.

It is quite surprising, in the 21st century, many villages in Indonesia still do not have electricity. Almost 48% from the Indonesian population of 230,472,933 live in areas without electricity supply due to the absence of a power plant capacity and difficult areas to access.

With desire, determination and commitment, I try to fulfill their dream into a reality especially for the children whom I have met.: Euis and her friends, flowing the electricity into their houses for the children's studying, watching television and all other activities in the day and mainly at night.

The potential electricity we will apply is based on surveys and researches of the location combined with my school knowledge of Science, Electricity, Mathematics and Physics. These knowledge will definitely help me in providing a new source of energy that is environment-friendly without damaging the mother nature.

As today's crisis environment causes climate change, this draws me to create a power plant that uses natural potential nearby.

We will create a new source of electric energy that is environment-friendly. Cilulumpang has great potential for water energy which comes from “Curug Dendeng” Waterfall in which the water energy combined with a turbine and dynamo could be utilized and converted as a source of electric energy which we call as “Electric Generator Water Reel”.

For the turbine propellers, we use wood from jackfruit trees as it is resistant to water and does not break easily. Dynamo is created by rolling copper wire into a roll-ball.

The children and community of Cilulumpang helped me to assemble the turbine into position which would continue to revolve processing energy from the water into electricity.

The power which we get from the 18 metres head of the waterfall combined with the 14.16 litres per second flow(volume) of the waterfall will come into:

   Power = Head X Flow X Gravity
         = 18 X 14.16 X 9.81
         = 2,500 watts

But, the efficiency of around 80% from 2,500 watts is expected from the mechanical energy into electrical energy which produces electricity for Cilulumpang.

Fourty families with children are prioritized to having the electricity with the power of 50 watt/family.

Living with electricity will provide a better life and development to the village. More development activities can be carried through with electricity that is previously impossible. This is definitely promoting better quality of life and economic growth to the villagers.

At the same time, we are utilizing an environment-friendly energy that does not increase the amount of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, which worsens the greenhouse effects; as earth's temperature rises.

It is such a relief feeling seeing Euis, her friends and other villagers are very happy, grateful and excited having lights for the first time in their life. Now, they can also watch television and see other part of Indonesia and the world.

A new source of energy utilizing the abundant potential energy of water in Indonesia will definitely give hope and encouragement to improve the quality and way of life; increase productivity; improve education and health facilities, provide better economic activities; increase new employment opportunities; improve the growth of the village as a whole; provide peace and spirit of mutual assistance for all villagers; bring and unite all villagers' sense of togetherness in becoming an independent village which excels in welfare and better life without destroying the earth.