East Timor Solar Power Project - Alternative technology · East Timor Solar Power Project. EAST TIMOR SOLAR POWER PROJECT ... Latronics Inverter, YK Battery Charger, 6 x 6V Batteries

East Timor Solar Project 2006 1

East Timor Solar Power Project

Conducted by members of the

International Projects Group Alternative Technology Association

in the districts of Oecussi, Atauro, Aileu, Suai and Same

October 2006

A community based volunteer project to provide solar light

and power and to provide training and capacity building


Special Thanks These projects would not have been possible without the support of our donors, sponsors, volunteers and supporters. The Team Mick Harris (Team Leader), Alan Hutchinson, Bill Bennett, Chris Moss, Geoff Collins, Nigel Baker, Natalie Toose, Mike O’Connell and Patrick McHugh. Our Supporters

Friends of Aileu

Friends of Oecussi

Friends of Same

Friends of Suai

Our Key Sponors Kyocera Solar Who assisted with solar panels and lighting kits

Selectronic Components Who assisted with inverters.

Alco Batteries who assisted with batteries

Plasmatronics who assisted with regulators

Selectronics Who provided inverters

Latronics Who provided inverters

Infoexchange Who provided desktop computer equipment

Computerbank Who supplied a Laptop computer with DVD player

Solarcharge Who assisted with solar panels

Going Solar Who assisted with solar panels

The Environment Shop Who assisted with equipment and logistics

KC Stork Who assisted with equipment


East Timor Solar Power Project EAST TIMOR SOLAR POWER PROJECT ...................................................................................................3 BACKGROUND .......................................................................................................................................4 THE ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATION ..................................................................................4 INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS GROUP .......................................................................................................4 PROJECT OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................................................4 PROCESS FOR SELECTING PROJECTS.......................................................................................................5 FUNDING ...............................................................................................................................................6 PLANNING THE PROJECTS......................................................................................................................6 PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION IN EAST TIMOR..........................................................................................7 THE INSTALLATIONS. ............................................................................................................................7 DISTRICT OF SUAI..................................................................................................................................7

Suai Youth Centre.............................................................................................................................7 Suai Community Centre....................................................................................................................7 Fohorem Medical Centre..................................................................................................................7 Radio Communidade Cova Taroman ...............................................................................................8

DISTRICT OF SAME ................................................................................................................................8 Fuan Nabilan Vision Centre.............................................................................................................8

DISTRICT OF AILEU ...............................................................................................................................8 Aileu Police Station ..........................................................................................................................8 Liquidoe Sub District Administrators Office. ...................................................................................9 Aileu Volunteers House ....................................................................................................................9 Besilau Health Clinic........................................................................................................................9 Lequideo Wind Project ...................................................................................................................10

DISTRICT OF OECUSSI.........................................................................................................................10 Sacato Community Centre (Nipani Village) ...................................................................................10 Maquelab Community Centre.........................................................................................................10 Bimelo Community Centre (Bobocase Village). .............................................................................10 Oxfam Oecussi office ......................................................................................................................11

DISTRICT OF ATAURO..........................................................................................................................12 Eco Lodge.......................................................................................................................................12 Eco Cabins......................................................................................................................................12

FOLLOW UP.........................................................................................................................................12 INFORMATION & RESEARCH................................................................................................................13 COMMUNICATIONS..............................................................................................................................13 CAPACITY BUILDING...........................................................................................................................13 PROJECT COSTS...................................................................................................................................14 OUTCOMES..........................................................................................................................................14 WHERE TO FROM HERE ........................................................................................................................15 CONTACT ............................................................................................................................................15 APPENDIX 1. LIST OF PROJECTS COMPLETED BY ATA IN EAST TIMOR ..............................................16

District of Aileu ..............................................................................................................................16 District of Atauro............................................................................................................................18 District of Dili.................................................................................................................................18 District of Manatuto .......................................................................................................................19 District of Oecussi .........................................................................................................................19 District of Liquica...........................................................................................................................20 District of Same ..............................................................................................................................21 District of Suai................................................................................................................................21


Background In 2006 the Alternative Technology Association, International Projects Group completed the installation of sixteen solar power systems in five districts of East Timor. The systems were installed to four community centres, three health clinics, a police station, subdistrict administration office, youth centre, volunteers house, radio station, four tourist cabins and an Oxfam office. The group also provided in depth training at a 3 day course in Same. The project was completed at a minimal cost due to the support of the project sponsors, supporters, donors and members of the project team who volunteered their time and paid their own expenses. The Alternative Technology Association With more than 3000 members, the ATA (Alternative Technology Association) is a major Australian environmental organisation promoting sustainable technology and representing community issues.

With branches and members around Australia and New Zealand, ATA provides practical information about harnessing renewable energy sources such as the sun, wind and water. ATA also offers advice on conserving energy, building with natural materials, reducing the use of and recycling natural resources and working with appropriate technology to create a sustainable future.

International Projects Group The ATA International Projects Group was established by a group of ATA members interested in assisting low income communities in the South East Asia with technologies appropriate to their needs. The ATA International Projects Group purposes are:

• To assist communities to gain access to sustainable technologies which are appropriate to their needs.

• To provide communities with the resources, materials and skills which allow them to alleviate poverty.

• To empower communities to make there own decisions on how to improve the quality of life.

• To provide the ATA members and staff with the opportunity to contribute their knowledge and skills to work of projects of assistance to communities in developing countries.

• To develop the ATA’s skills, knowledge and income through involvement in international projects.

Project Objectives This round of projects undertaken by the International Projects Group 1) To expand the expertise and experience of the group in work with renewable

energy and appropriate technology projects.

http://www.ata.org.au/branches.htm


2) To broaden the scope of our work to include provision of services for a range of community facilities.

3) To further develop our contacts and networks with the intention of significantly expanding the number and range of future projects.

4) To research future projects. 5) To implement sixteen projects. Process for selecting projects STEP 1: Project Identification Communities, partners or IPG members can nominate potential projects for inclusion in the IPG “Potential Projects” database. This list will be continuously updated.

STEP 2: Expression of Interest Project proponents complete a project “Expression of Interest”. This form documents the project outline, beneficiaries, partners and outcomes

STEP 3: Project Development and Feasibility Assessment Based on the Expression of Interest form further research is undertaken regarding the project. This research will assess issues regarding feasibility such as site location, system requirements, sustainability, logistics, timing, difficulty and funding arrangements. Project development is a two way process with the IPG and project proponents working together to develop a system that is acceptable to all with regards to system design, implementation and funding.

STEP 4: Assessment Using Project Support Criteria The IPG cannot assist all projects. We have limited time and resources to implement our projects. Using the Expression of Interest form and the Feasibility Assessment, projects are selected which meet the IPG objectives and according to the following criteria: a) Project uses appropriate technology; b) Community involvement in project selection, construction and maintenance; c) Likelihood of sustainable outcomes; d) Difficulty of implementation; e) Funding availability; f) Timing.

STEP 5: Project Development Projects that have been selected are further developed with regards to technical, logistical and funding arrangements.

STEP 6: Project Implementation Project implementation commences with the first system procurement. Other implementation activities include transport and shipping, logistics, travel, construction, installation, testing, training and reporting. Training is an essential component of project implementation and a variety of system users need to be trained using appropriate language training materials.

STEP 7: Ongoing Energy System Management The project beneficiary is responsible for the ongoing maintenance of the installed system. However in East Timor the IPG has implemented a monitoring plan for systems on its annual visit.


Funding The Expression of Interest process results in a number of proposals. However most proposers did not have funds to assist with the costs so it was is necessary to raise the funds to pay for these projects. This round was funded by a large range of sources. These included contributions from the council based council friendship groups and donations from ATA members. Costs were kept down due to the provision of discounted and donated equipment by a number of companies.

Planning the Projects Planning the projects was a substantial task. It involved liaising with the recipients in an effort to make an accurate assessment of their needs and how they could best be met. This was made more difficult by the communications problems. In person communication was not possible, email was rarely available and phone communication was difficult and unreliable.

Once information was gathered the systems had to be designed. Important features of the design included simplicity, ease of maintenance and a high level of reliability. Next the equipment had to be obtained at the lowest possible cost due to the limited funds available. This meant extra time had to be spent requesting equipment donations or special discounts. Where donations were not possible equipment was sourced and purchased. Next some equipment was pre assembled prior to its shipping to East Timor.

The shipping and import process presented its own challenges. Once again minimizing costs was important. Rather than assembling all goods in Melbourne and shipping to Dili, goods from Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne and Darwin were shipped to the port in Darwin. They were then sent to Dili by the regular barge service. This approach reduced costs but required considerable organisation to ensure all the gear was picked up and delivered correctly without any of our group actually being able to “eyeball” the equipment to ensure it had been delivered to the right place at the right time.

Once the goods arrived in Dili we needed to ensure that the customs clearance process proceeded smoothly and that the goods were delivered to the store.

While all this was going on planning for the implementaion of the proposed projects was being finalised. This included organising transport to and from the sites, finding places for our team members to sleep and eat, (this can be a challenges when no hotels and other accommodation was present in many areas we worked in) and organising guides or interpreters.

There was also considerable communication with those organisations receiving the benefits concerning access to the sites, training of locals and other matters.


Project Implementation in East Timor A team of nine volunteers was involved in the implementation of the project over a period of four weeks. The team was divided into two groups and the arrival and departure times were staggered. The Installations. District of Suai Installation Dates: 4th to 10th October Suai is the last large town along the south-east coast before the Indonesian border. Transport to Suai is by road and takes a full day. Suai Youth Centre The Suai Youth Centre Solar system is designed to provide lighting to the main building and computer room, electricity to the power points in the two offices in the main building and electricity to the power points in the computer room. Equipment Supplied: 6 x Kyocera, 85 watt Solar Panels, Plasmatronics PL40 Regulator, Latronics Inverter, YK Battery Charger, 6 x 6V Batteries and 1 x Changeover switch Suai Community Centre The Suai Community Centre Solar system is designed to provide lighting throughout the community centre building, electricity to the power points in the office and electricity to the power points in the computer room. Equipment Supplied: 6 x Kyocera 85 watt Solar Panels, Plasmatronics PL 40 Regulator, Latronics Inverter, YK Battery Charger, 6 x 6V Batteries.

Fohorem Medical Centre The Forehem Medical Centre Solar system is designed to provide and electricity throughout the clinic except for the fridge/freezer that runs on gas. The solar panels are installed on the roof of the community centre and the inverter, regulator, battery charger, and batteries are located in a small store room at the rear of the building.

Equipment Supplied: Kyocera 85 watt 6 x Solar Panels, 1x PL 40 Regulator, Latronics Inverter, YK


Battery Charger, 6 x 6V Batteries.

Radio Communidade Cova Taroman The radio station is a key community based local communication mechanism for the people in the area of Suai. The radio station has no reliable source of power. Solar power was provided to operate the radio station and allow it to function whenever required. Equipment Supplied: Kyocera 85 watt 6 x Solar Panels, 1x PL 40 Regulator, Latronics Inverter,YK Battery Charger, 6 x 200 ah 6V Batteries. District of Same Fuan Nabilan Vision Centre Fuan Nabilan is a proposed Low Vision Disability centre in the centre of Same near

the Hospital. Power was needed to conduct low vision tests, using a computer based program. The system supplied was to supply lighting and power for use during the day, charge a mobile phone and to power the computer for 1 hour a day. Equipment Supplied: Kyocera 85 watt Solar Panel, Phocos 10A Regulator, Powertech 300w Sine Wave Inverter, Electus 12A Battery Charger, 12v, 100ah Battery. District of Aileu Installation Dates: 11th to 14th October The District of Aileu has an area of 729 sq kms, with a population of 38,000 people. The main town, Aileu, lies 47 km by road from Dili. The main economic activity is subsistence agriculture, including growing of rice, corn, coffee, and vegetables. Commercial activity is limited to retail shops, market stalls, and some trades, such as carpentry and mechanical repairs, plus traditional crafts. Aileu Police Station The police station which operates 24 hours a day had only intermittant power from a small generator. The town supply had not been operating for more than 12 months. Even when it is repaired it is only likely to provide power for 3 or 4 hours in the evening. We installed a system designed to provide 24 hour power for lighting, communication and limited computer usage. Equipment installed: 80watt panel, 100 ah battery, regulator and lights.


Liquidoe Sub District Administrators Office. This was a new building which has been wired for 240 volts. However there is no working power supply in the village. We found the new 240 volt wiring was faulty. We repaired the wiring in the building and installed a solar power system and inverter to provide lighting and power. Equipment installed: 2 x 60 Watt panels, 2 x 100 ah 12 volt batteries, Plasmatronics PC2412 regulator. 300 watt inverter.

Aileu Volunteers House This house is located next to the Aileu Administrators office and is used for Australian Volunteers International (AVI) volunteers who are based in Aileu. Power was provided for basic lighting and possibly the use of a radio or laptop computer. Equipment Installed: 50 Watt panel, 65 ah 12 volt battery, Plasmatronics PC1212 regulator and lights.

Besilau Health Clinic This clinic had been provided with solar power in the past under a UN program. However the solar panels had blown off the roof and the battery had failed. As there was no follow up to the original program that installed the system no repairs had been made. We visited the site, tested the components and provided spare parts and training so that the system could be repaired by a local technician. Equipment Supplied: 100 ah 12 volt battery, Wiring and installation components.


Lequideo Wind Project Liquidoe has been identified as a good site for a demonstration small scale wind power project. A site survey was conduction and a good site located on a hill behind the Sub District Administration building. This could provide additional power to the Sub District Administrators office. District of Oecussi Installation Dates 24th to 27th October Oecussi is an isolated coastal enclave located approximately 150 kilometers east of Dili. Access is by an overnight ferry. The area is poor and has suffered from its isolation from the rest of East Timor. Three installations were done in is district. Sacato Community Centre (Nipani Village) The Community Centre is located approximately 30 minutes east of the town. This installation involved the provision of solar power for lighting. Equipment Provided: 50 watt panel, 100 ah, 12 volt battery, regulator, switches and lights. Maquelab Community Centre This community centre is a Taiboco Village (40 minutes west of town) The centre was provided with a solar power system to provide power for lighting. Equipment Installed: 50W solar panel, a 100Ah deep cycle battery with regulator and 2 compact fluorescent lights.

Bimelo Community Centre (Bobocase Village). 35mins. SE of town: We tried in vain to find this building. Apparently, it hasn’t been built yet! We were told that the solar lights at the nearby Bobocase Community Centre (2005 project) had not been working since June 2006. After locating the person with the keys, we were able to check the system and discovered that rats had


chewed through the wiring in the roof! We replaced that wiring and relocated it to a safer area. The battery was replaced & system functioned perfectly. Note: The 50W solar panel for the Bimelo project is stored at the Oecussi Oxfam office.

Friday 27th October:

Oxfam Oecussi office This installation was done for Oxfam. The work involved repairing the existing system and upgrading it with other equipment. The existing 2 x 64W Uni Solar amorphous panels were dismantled from the roof and replaced by the 6 BP modules connected in parallel. The existing system was not operational with the battery dead flat. The installed system was tested & operated excellently. This will provide temporary 240V back up supply for office computers & lighting if the existing generator is not functioning. Equipment Installed: 6 x 80W BP380 PV modules, 1 x PL40 regulator, 1 x 800W, sinewave inverter, 1 x Wood’s 12V (15A) battery charger, 4 x 100Ah 12V, Sonnenschein, gel cell batteries

6 x 80W solar panels on north facing roof


District of Atauro Installation Dates: October 29th to 31st The dry island of Atauro is directly in front of Dili, 30km across the Wetar Strait. With an area of 140 sq km the island has a population of about 9,000. The Eco Lodge is located 3.5km south of the ferry’s arrival point at Beloi. Three systems were installed or upgraded there. Eco Lodge The Eco Lodge is an aid development project in association with Roman Luan, a local development organisation on the island. It consists of a meals/lounge area, kitchen, a number of independent cabins, composting toilets and other facilities. The Eco Lodge has an existing solar power system with inadequate capacity for current needs and for refrigeration. The system was upgraded with additional solar panels, batteries and the addition of refrigeration. Equipment Installed: 80 watt solar panel, 120 amp hour battery, Plasmatronics regulator, 300 watt sine wave inverter and fridge/freezer Eco Cabins New solar power systems were fitted to four of the cabins. Equipment Installed: 2 x 40 watt panels, 2 x 20 watt panels, 4 x 100 amp hour batteries, 4 x regulators and low voltage lights.

Follow Up Although the equipment provided was tough, reliable and has a very long life there is still some risk of system failure and damage. A key task completed by the team was to check the performance and reliability of the systems that had been provided in the previous year. This follow up was done on previously installed systems not only to ensure that the systems were operating reliably but also to look for ways to improve the quality and reliability of future systems.


Teachers and staff from the Solar Power Training Course conducted in Suai

Information & Research Collecting accurate and detailed information is essential for projects of this type to maximize their effectiveness. While this was effective and resulted in the successful completion of the projects some additional information would have allowed more to have been achieved. Communications Effective communication is important if outcomes are to be the best possible. Once again we had difficulties as the only regular email service is in Dili, and mobile phone coverage is limited to district centers. These communication difficulties slow down the planning process so it is important that plenty of time is allowed. It is also a good idea to have a contact in Dili where communications work better, who can pass on and receive communications. Capacity Building It has always been a priority of the International Projects Group to build capacity amongst the local people in the areas in which we work. A condition we placed upon the recipients was that local people should be involved so we could train them in the installation and operation of the solar lighting systems. This was done in each of the locations where installations were done.

The ATA ran a formal solar power training course in Suia. The course ran for 3 days and included training in electrical and solar theory, practical exercises and on the job training as the participants worked installing solar power systems. At the end of the course participant received and certificate of completion. The course was designed to make it possible for the participants to maintain, repair and install small solar power systems.


Project Costs The project was only possible due to a large number of small contributions from a range of sources. Funds came from a range of sources including ATA members, council friendship groups and sponsors. The table below shows the approximate dollar values of all the project costs and income irrespective of whether they were cash amounts, donations, sponsorship or volunteers labour. If all costs including labour had been paid for the project the total cost would have been around $126,000. Costs $ Solar Equipment, (panels batteries & components) 59,345 Freight Costs 1,500 Import Duty & Customs Agent 8,600 Travel & Accommodation 13,500 Project planning & preparation (860 hrs x $20/hr) 17,200 Project Implementation in East Timor (900 hrs x $20/hr) 18,000 Local support (Inc: transport, accom. food, interpreter, etc) 7,600* Total 125,745 *Based on local costs. Outcomes 6) To further develop our contacts and networks with the intention of significantly

expanding the number and range of future projects. 7) To research future projects. 8) To implement sixteen projects. The project was successful in achieving its objectives. ♦ To expand the expertise and experience of the group in it’s work with renewable

energy and appropriate technology projects. The group successfully worked on a larger range of projects than the previous year, encountering new challenges and learned new skills. In addition to basic solar lighting projects more advanced projects where completed providing power for computers and refrigeration. Resources where also provided for paper recycling at a women’s craft group and training and resources were also provided for staff of the Dili Institute. The group also researched other options such as communications and water supply projects. ♦ To broaden the scope of our work to include provision of services for a Range of

community facilities. The projects included a much broader range of client groups than the previous year. As mentioned above the types of projects completed were more variable. This


exposed the group to different needs that could lead to more diverse projects in the future. ♦ To further develop our contacts and networks with the intention of significantly

expanding the number and range of future projects. The project was very successful in this area. Contacts were made at a range of levels. These included contact with local community groups, other NGO’s, businesses, at government levels and in the United Nations. These contacts will be of significant help in future projects. ♦ To research future projects. This was also successful. A number of projects are already under considerations. These include some further improvements to existing systems and some new systems. The research process into new potential projects will now proceed. ♦ To implement sixteen projects.. As mentioned in the Project Implementation section of the report all 16 projects were successfully completed. Where to from here With these successes in mind we are now in a position to plan for 2007. We will now proceed to research future projects prior to finalising our preferred projects early in 2007. We propose to proceed with the next round of project in August 2007 and will spend the 6 months prior to that date researching and preparing to implement the selected projects. Contact You can contact the International Projects Group through the: Alternative Technology Association, Level 1, 39 Collins Street, \Melbourne Victoria, 3000. Phone: 03 9639 1500. Fax: 03 9639 5814. The Project Manager of the group is Anton Vikstrom and he can be emailed at [email protected] The director of the group is Mick Harris and he can be emailed at: [email protected]


Appendix 1. List of Projects Completed by ATA in East Timor The Alternative Technology Association has been active in East Timor since 2003 and members of the group have been installing solar power systems since 1999. Installations have ranged from small 40 watt, 12 volt solar lighting systems to half killowatt hybrid 240 volt power system for running a range of applications including refrigeration, computer training facilities and a radio station. The following is a list on the major projects that have been completed. District of Aileu Police Station Romexio This building had no reliable reticulated power so a solar power system was installed to provide power for lighting, communications and other limited applications. The system installed consisted of an 80 watt BP solar panel, a 120 AH battery, Plastmatronics regulator, 2 low voltage compact fluorescent lights and a 12 volt work light. The system was also wired to maintain power for the police radio. Sub District Administration Building, Romexio. This installation was made to the sub district administration offices at Remexio. This building had no power. A solar power system was installed as well as high efficiency fluorescent lights and work lights. The installation provided consisted of a 40 watt BP solar panel, a 80 AH battery, Plasmatronics regulator, 3 low voltage, compact fluorescent lights (which were used for general room lighting) and a 12 volt work light. Church Community Meeting Rooms A community meeting room/ office space was provided with a 40 watt solar system capable of providing room lighting. Equipment Provided: 40 watt solar panel, regulator, battery and low voltage lighting. Police/Administration Building Liquidoe This system was provided to the police/administration building. This building also had a generator to provide some power in the evening. It also had solar panels to provide power for the communications radio. The 80 watt system that was installed provides power for the lighting of the building. This consisted of 3 lights and a desk lamp. Health Clinic This system was intended for use in the health clinic in Liquidoe. However a solar power system had already been installed on this building. An alternative site was site selected at a health clinic near Aileu. This clinic had no available power. A 40 watt system was installed with 4 lights to provide room lighting and a long life LED gooseneck light for use as an examination lamp. District Administrators Office The administrators office suffered from extended periods when no power is available. We installed a system designed to provide 24 hour power for lighting and limited computer usage. When an email service is established it will make reliable communications possible.


Equipment installed: 50watt panel, 65 ah battery, regulator, light, laptop and charger. Hoholau Community Hall Hoholau is a busy community center and is used for festivals and a range of other community events . The locals would also like to use the system to run a small PA. Festivals may go on till midnight or later, particularly around Christmas time. (in the monsoon). Power was provided for lighting. Equipment installed: 80Watt panel, 125 ah 12 volt battery, Plasmatronics PC1212 regulator. 2 lights in hall, one outside, and one in each of two rooms. Maurusa Health Clinic Provides services to the area and had no other source of power as the generator had been taken away as they could not afford to run it. We were able to install a new system with four lights, separate from the existing system. This can help to provide emergency lighting at night. If someone is sick, they are seen at the end of the session. Power was provided for basic lighting. Equipment Installed: 50 Watt panel, 65 ah 12 volt battery, Plasmatronics PC1212 regulator. 2 lights in hall, examination room, and one outside Maurusa Clinic

Lequtara Church The church is used a lot for festivals and other community activities. The inside had to be surface wired due to the state of the ceiling and lack of access. There was also a danger of rats in the ceiling chewing on the wiring. Power was provided for lighting including the priests room so that private consultations could be carried out at night. Equipment installed: 50 Watt panel, 65 ah 12 volt battery, Plasmatronics PC1212 regulator. 3 lights in hall, one in priests room. Lequideo Health Clinic A large clinic, one of three in the Lequideo area, which stretches along a ridge line for a few kilometres. It is used for community meetings as well as health visits. Six lights were provided inside and one outside. Equipment Installed: 80 Watt panel, 125 ah 12 volt battery, Plasmatronics PC1212 regulator. 2 lights in hall, examination room, and one outside. Aileu Police Station The police station which operates 24 hours a day had only intermittant power from a small generator. The town supply had not been operating for more than 12 months. Even when it is repair it is only likely to provide power for 3 or 4 hours in the evening. We installed a system designed to provide 24 hour power for lighting, communication and limited computer usage. Equipment installed: 80watt panel, 100 ah battery, regulator and lights. Liquidoe Sub District Administrators Office. This was a new building which has been wired for 240 volts. However there is no working power supply in the village and the new 240 volt wiring was faulty. We repaired the wiring in the building and installed a solar power system and inverter to provide lighting and power. Equipment installed: 2 x 60 Watt panels, 2 x 100 ah 12 volt batteries, Plasmatronics PC2412 regulator. 300 watt inverter. Aileu Volunteers House This house is located next to the Aileu Administrators office and is used for Australian Volunteers International (AVI) volunteers who are based in Aileu. Power was provided for basic lighting and possibly the use of a radio or laptop computer.


Equipment Installed: 50 Watt panel, 65 ah 12 volt battery, Plasmatronics PC1212 regulator and lights.

Besilau Health Clinic This clinic had been provided with solar power in the past under a UN program. However the solar panels had blown off the roof and the battery had failed. As there was no follow up to the original program that installed the system no repairs had been made. We visited the site, tested the components and provided spare parts and training so that the system could be repaired by a local technician. Equipment Supplied: 100 ah 12 volt battery, Wiring and installation components. Lequideo Wind Project Liquidoe has been identified as a good site for a demonstration small scale wind power project. A site survey was conduction and a good site located on a hill behind the Sub District Administration building. This could provide additional power to the Sub District Administrators office. District of Atauro Eco Lodge, Upgrade 1. The Eco Lodge is an aid development project in association with Roman Luan, a local development organisation on the island. It consists of a meals/lounge area, kitchen, a number of independent cabins, composting toilets and other facilities. Solar power provides light and power for the central building and a number of the cabins. The main systems was not working well and was upgraded by the addition of an 80 watt panel, new regulator, inverter and battery. Equipment Installed: 80 watt solar panel, 120 amp hour battery, Plasmatronics regulator, 300 watt sine wave inverter. Upgrade 2 The Eco Lodge has an existing solar power system with inadequate capacity for current needs and for refrigeration. The system was upgraded with additional solar panels, batteries and the addition of refrigeration. Equipment Installed: 80 watt solar panel, 120 amp hour battery, Plasmatronics regulator, 300 watt sine wave inverter and fridge/freezer Eco Cabins, Installation 1 New solar power systems were fitted to two of the cabins. Equipment Installed: 2 x 40 watt panels, 60 amp hour battery, regulator and low voltage lights. Installation 2 New solar power systems were fitted to four of the cabins. Equipment Installed: 2 x 40 watt panels, 2 x 20 watt panels, 4 x 100 amp hour batteries, 4 x regulators and low voltage lights. District of Dili Dili Institute of Technology Equipment was left under an agreement to store equipment for us. In return Dili Institute can use the equipment while we are away. The equipment can be used to provide a demonstration PV for system for training and use. Dili institute is rebuilding


its facilities and hopes to build a Centre for Alternative Technology in the next few years, provided they can obtain funding. Equipment List: 1 x 80 watt panels, 2 x batteries, BP solar lighting regulator, cable, fittings, connectors, circuit breakers battery boxes and signs. Tools Provided: PV installation tool kits x 2, ladders x 2, solar panel & battery. Women’s Craft Co-op The Kovef3oktil Veteran Womans Co-operative produces bags and crafts providing employment and income to low income woman in East Timor. One of the products they produce are note books with Tais covers and recycled paper pages. The paper is recycled for waste paper and is of a low quality. The project provided equipment to improve the quality of this paper with the aim of increasing the income earning potential of the co-operative. In addition to the equipment training was provided to improve the recycling techniques. Equipment Provided: Paper Shredder and mixer District of Manatuto Soibada Orphanage The Dominican Orphanage at Soibada was established in 1992 and cares for approximately 70 children. Soibada is about a hundred and twenty kilometres away from Dili. Access is difficult due to the poor condition of the roads. Power is only available intermittently at the best of times and during the wet season may not be available at all for many months. Power was provided for lighting, refrigeration, and general use. This was the largest system installed this year. Equipment Installed: 2 x 80w + 4 x 75w solar panels, a 424ah, 24 volt battery bank, regulator, inverter, lights and a high efficiency Vestfrost fridge. District of Oecussi Caritas Administrators house. This installation involved the provision of solar power for lighting, a laptop computer and a small fridge. Transport logistics were good as well as the assistance of DIT contacts, Armindo & Anton. Equipment Provided: 320 watt system with 212ah, 12v battery, regulator, battery charger, switches, lights, (assorted lights,). laptop and 700 watt inverter. Bobocase Community Centre Bobocase is in the sub district of Pante Macassar and about 20km ( 1 hour) from Oecussi town. Lunch was provided by Jose Anuno (Director, Oecussi Campus, Dili Institute of Technology) who also provided the assistance of two of his students (Armindo Mendonca and Anton), who also happen to manage the power generators for Oecussi! Equipment Installed: 50W solar panel, a 65Ah deep cycle battery with regulator and 4 compact fluorescent lights. Quinat Health Centre Quinat is about a further one hour’s travel past Bobocase. It is very close to the Indonesian border. The village is extremely remote and the “roads” are rough! For this project our team installed the same system as Bobocase. We had the help of all our team members and another DIT student, Antao Cabal. Equipment Installed: 50W solar panel, a 65Ah deep cycle battery with regulator and 4 compact fluorescent lights ( 2 x 11W & 2 x 7W).


Sacato Community Centre (Nipani Village) The Community Centre is located approximately 30 minutes east of the Oecussi town. The centre is used for a Local NGO ( Inursacato Fundation), Community council, Youth and women groups. This installation involved the provision of solar power for lighting. Equipment Provided: 50 watt panel, 100 ah, 12 volt battery, regulator, switches and lights. Maquelab Community Centre This community centre is in Taiboco Village (40 minutes west of town). The Centre is used for community support by a youth organization and for the Maquelab community council. The centre was provided with a solar power system to provide power for lighting. Equipment Installed: 50W solar panel, a 100Ah deep cycle battery with regulator and 2 compact fluorescent lights. Bimelo Community Centre (Bobocase Village). We tried in vain to find this building. Apparently, it hasn’t been built yet! We were told that the solar lights at the nearby Bobocase Community Centre (2005 project) had not been working since June 2006. After locating the person with the keys, we were able to check the system and discovered that rats had chewed through the wiring in the roof! We replaced that wiring and relocated it to a safer area. The battery was replaced & system functioned perfectly. Note: The 50W solar panel for the Bimelo project is stored at the Oecussi Oxfam office.

Oxfam Oecussi office This installation was done for Oxfam. The work involved repairing the existing system and upgrading it with other equipment. The existing 2 x 64W Uni Solar amorphous panels were dismantled from the roof and replaced by the 6 BP modules connected in parallel. The existing system was not operational with the battery dead flat. The installed system was tested & operated excellently. This will provide temporary 240V back up supply for office computers & lighting if the existing generator is not functioning. Equipment Installed: 6 x 80W BP380 PV modules, 1 x PL40 regulator, 1 x 800W, sinewave inverter, 1 x Wood’s 12V (15A) battery charger, 4 x 100Ah 12V, Sonnenschein, gel cell batteries District of Liquica School at Bazartete The nuns house had no power as they had loaned their generator to the community hall and had not had it back. They needed a system to provide adult education evening classes. The computer will be charged by the solar system and taken to the nearby school for classes during the day. Equipment Provided: 80 watt solar panel, 120ah, 12v battery, regulator, switches, lights, (hall 4 x 20w, office 1x 15w, exterior 1 x 11w, desk lamp 8w). Laptop and charger. Metagou Health Clinic. The village is only about an hours drive from Bazatete along a rough track cut into a hillside through beautiful rainforest. The Clinic is at the bottom of the hill, near the school where we heard beautiful singing. Equipment Provided: 50 watt solar panel, 65ah, 12v battery, regulator, switches, lights, (room lights 2 x 15w, exterior light 11w).


Darolete Health Clinic. We were able to access the roof space. The building had a separate living area which had a light provided. Equipment Provided: 50 watt systems and 65ah, 12v battery, regulator, switches, lights, (room lights 2 x 15w, exterior light 11w,). Uluana Health Clinic. The clinic we went to is a permanently staffed clinic with a radio. They have already had two solar power systems installed. A small one for the radio and a larger one for the staff quarters. The main solar system (and possibly the radio one) had been installed by Ausolar a couple of years ago. (Same as in the clinic as Remexio) Equipment Provided: 50 watt systems and 65ah, 12v battery, regulator, switches, lights, (room lights 2 x 15w, exterior light 11w, desk light 8w). The main system had been stolen some time back and then recovered and not reinstalled. We reinstalled this system, added some lights and a power socket for the a radio and music. We also added a light to the office next to the radio room. District of Same Fuan Nabilan Vision Centre Fuan Nabilan is a proposed Low Vision Disability centre in the centre of Same near the Hospital. Power was needed to conduct low vision tests, using a computer based program. The system supplied was to supply lighting and power for use during the day, charge a mobile phone and to power the computer for 1 hour a day. Equipment Supplied: Kyocera 85 watt Solar Panel, Phocos 10A Regulator, Powertech 300w Sine Wave Inverter, Electus 12A Battery Charger, 12v, 100ah Battery. District of Suai Suai Youth Centre The Suai Youth Centre Solar system is designed to provide lighting to the main building and computer room, electricity to the power points in the two offices in the main building and electricity to the power points in the computer room. Equipment Supplied: 6 x Kyocera, 85 watt Solar Panels, Plasmatronics PL40 Regulator, Latronics Inverter, YK Battery Charger, 6 x 6V Batteries and 1 x Changeover switch Suai Community Centre The Suai Community Centre Solar system is designed to provide lighting throughout the community centre building, electricity to the power points in the office and electricity to the power points in the computer room. Equipment Supplied: 6 x Kyocera 85 watt Solar Panels, Plasmatronics PL 40 Regulator, Latronics Inverter, YK Battery Charger, 6 x 6V Batteries. Fohorem Medical Centre The Forehem Medical Centre Solar system is designed to provide and electricity throughout the clinic except for the fridge/freezer that runs on gas. The solar panels are installed on the roof of the community centre and the inverter, regulator, battery charger, and batteries are located in a small store room at the rear of the building. Equipment Supplied: Kyocera 85 watt 6 x Solar Panels, 1x PL 40 Regulator, Latronics Inverter, YK Battery Charger, 6 x 6V Batteries.


Radio Communidade Cova Taroman The radio station is a key community based local communication mechanism for the people in the area of Suai. The radio station has no reliable source of power. Solar power was provided to operate the radio station and allow it to function whenever required. Equipment Supplied: Kyocera 85 watt 6 x Solar Panels, 1x PL 40 Regulator, Latronics Inverter,YK Battery Charger, 6 x 200 ah 6V Batteries.

Documents

East Timor Solar Power Project - Alternative technology · East Timor Solar Power Project. EAST TIMOR SOLAR POWER PROJECT ... Latronics Inverter, YK Battery Charger, 6 x 6V Batteries