Current Projects

• Candelaria Solar Water Pump
• Chel Micro Hydroelectric Project
• Chirinos Solar and Pico Hydro Project
• Cochrane High School Sustainable Development Project
• Dalit LED Project
• Galapagos Solar Project
• Karen Solar Project
• Potreritos Solar Water Pump Project
• Shuar Solar Project
• Shuar Solar Project 2

Past Projects

• El Bote Project
• Humla Pico Project
• Long Lewan Micro-Hydro Project
• Mini-Hydroelectric Plant
• Pelly Crossing Electrification Project
• Polocon Micro-Hydro Power Project
• Renewable Engery Education Project
• Saloy Micro-Hydro Project

Long Lewan Micro-Hydro Project

A Demonstration Project for Community Development and Rainforest Protection in Borneo

GOAL - The goal of this project is to establish an operational micro-hydro system that provides electricity for all residential lighting and other electricity needs of the Long Lawen community and to establish an initial core of local technicians and advocates capable of explaining and expanding micro-hydropower to other longhouse communities.

HISTORY and BACKGROUND - Borneo, the third largest island in the world, is home to the oldest, most biologically diverse tropical rainforests on earth. In fact, one square acre of primary forest in Borneo commonly hosts more tree species than can be found in all of North America. And at one time, Borneo's rainforest canopy was so dense and ubiquitous, that orangutans could swing from tree to tree from one side of the island to the other and never touch the ground. Like island rainforests the world over, this is no longer the case.

For hundreds of generations Borneo's diverse indigenous tribal peoples have depended upon and sustainability managed these rich forests. Yet today, without regard to ancestral land tenure or biological value, logging companies and oil palm plantations are destroying these forests for immense profits. The adverse impacts of these global industrial activities are shouldered by indigenous communities. To save their traditional cultures, their means of existence and their forests, Borneo's indigenous groups, in partnership with The Borneo Project, have organized creative programs that return self-determination, hope and opportunities to remote villagers.

The watershed of the Bocay project serves as a buffer zone for the BOSAWAS forest reserve, the largest forest reserve in Central America. Preservation of the buffer zone by sustainable development is critical to the long-term preservation of the reserve. A second grant to the Ben Linder project has provided further support for preservation of the watershed.

OBJECTIVES - Specifically the micro-hydro project at the Village of Long Lawen will:

• Train designated technicians and other community representatives to plan and install a fully operational system
• Train designated technicians to troubleshoot, maintain, and evaluate the system
• Transfer local trainers, technicians, and community representatives full responsibility for operation, maintenance, and overall management of the demo system

PROBLEM - Second-hand diesel generators are used by remote villages to provide electricity, although the high cost of fuel and repairs typically limits their use to several hours in the evenings. The diesel generators have many additional drawbacks, such as fossil fuel pollution, loud noise, frequent breakdowns, dependency on outside resources for parts, fuel and major repairs, and the need to take a 1-3 day boat trip to purchase fuel or parts.

PROGRESS and PROSPECTS - The micro-hydro project at Long Lawen was started in 1997 when leaders at Sahabat Alam Malaysia-SAM (an indigenous NGO in Sarawak) approached the Borneo Project about appropriate alternative energy systems. After several site surveys, Borneo Project engineers decided that Long Lawen's mountainous terrain and proximity to a waterfall was most suitable for a demonstration project.

Civil work commenced in 1999, when villagers built an intake weir and installed 300 meters of PVC pipe for the penstock-pipe which they paid for as a sign of investment in the project. Flows from the system indicated that more power than originally planned for was possible, and the project was scaled up from 6kw to 13kw. In spring 2000, a transmission distribution system was designed for the new scale and reviewed by hydro engineers from Green Empowerment's Technical Group.

In October 2000, four engineers and a renewable energy specialist traveled to Borneo to install the transmission system, work with the community on addressing the many social and organizational issues that need to be resolved to have a sustainable project, develop a watershed conservation program, solidify contracts with a local electrical contractors, and make final preparations to purchase the turbine and generator. The micro-hydro system is scheduled to come on line by the end of 2001.

BUDGET - The Total project budget is $61,500 of which $5,400 will be funded directly by the community for the purchase of materials. Fundraising was undertaken by The Borneo Project and Green Empowerment, allowing this project to commence. EnerGreen contributed $7,500 to help complete the hydro system.

OUTCOMES - The direct beneficiaries are the 100 Kenyah families (approximately 400 people) living in the community of Long Lawen in Sarawak's central interior. They will receive affordable, clean, reliable 24-hour electricity using a system that is maintained locally.

The demonstration system will plant the seeds for future economic opportunities and social development projects in many remote communities. The project also provides opportunities for improvements such as refrigeration for storage of medicines, water-powered rice mills, and electricity for small cottage industries.

The design and scale of the nano-hydro system alleviates the need for a dam, thus impact on the stream and forest ecologies are negligible. It is estimated that the 10kW system will produce a significant reduction in fuel consumption, particulate emissions, and runoff pollution near the longhouse.