One of massive issue today is a disaster. Institute for the Environment and Human Security of the United Nations University (UNU-EHS) do some calculation about World Risk Index for 171 countries based on statistics of disaster, role of society, and government in disaster management. Based on World Risk Index in 2012 until 2016, Indonesia is in the 33th position with disaster index up to 19,36%.
Indonesia has an institution that focused in disaster management called Disaster Management National Agency of Indonesia,, where it functions to coordinate a planning and implementation of disaster management. Based on data of Indonesian disaster information that issued by Disaster Management National Agency of Indonesia, disasters in Indonesia are slightly increased in 10 years. There are some factors that affected the increasing of disaster, such as natural and human factor.
What is our role as research center of renewable energy toward increasing of disaster in Indonesia?
The Government of Indonesia has a standard equipment to produce electricity towards disaster management. One of the equipment that used in disaster area is a generator. However, fossil fuel is almost extinct, and it produces a lot of pollution. Tropical Renewable Energy Center has a solution to solve that problem. New mobile power plant with mini solar panel that can be used in disaster area called Be-Care.
What is the innovation that offered by Be-Care?
Be-Care is designed to supply some loads, such as lamps and telecommunication devices that considered an important thing in disaster areas. This system converts a solar radiation using solar panel module and its energies are saved in battery. The energy in a battery will be used when the weather is cloudy or at night. This innovation consist of handy and mobile box components, and its box can be connected with other box to increase its capacity. This innovation has some advantages compared with generator,
- Be-Care use a solar radiation to produce electricity. Comparing with fossil fuel that used by generator, solar panel is more friendly for the environment rather than fossil fuel.
- Comparing with Generator that has a lot of maintenance process because it has so many moving parts to maintain, Be-Care needs no maintenance because there are no moving parts.
- Moving parts in generator frequently make a noise up to 30 dB. Comparing with generator, Be-Care do not even produce a noise while converting solar radiation into electricity.
This innovation shows the importance of renewable energy role for human life. Be-Care is expected to be solution of electricity needs in disaster area
Be – Care Portable