Post-Installation: Insight of coastal-area society in Hybrid Electric Power Systems (HEPS) of Pantai Baru, Yogyakarta

¹ Departement of Sociology, Faculty of Social and Politic Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia

Abstract

The Hybrid Electric Power Systems project is a pilot renewable energy project of the Indonesian Ministry of Research and Technology since 2010. Hybrid power (windmill and solar cell) was chosen because of their huge heat and wind potential in coastal area of Pantai Baru. Post-installation is critical, considering the existence of alternative energy was expected to bring changes in the life of coastal people nearby. Participatory Action Research (PAR) was the method used to do deeper exploration of the changes happened after the hybrid electric power installation in Pantai Baru. Coastal society had a bigger dependency on natural resources and secluded from any technology development, including the hybrid power itself. The use of PAR method reversed the top down logic by the Indonesian Ministry of Research and Technology with the bottom up logic, adjust the people’s needs which processed from the grassroots. This research was conducted in three years, using three approaches; exploration, reflection, and action. Through these approaches, it was possible for the researchers to understand the actual condition of coastal society and chose the women groups as the main informants as well as the main group which got the biggest benefits of the Hybrid Electric Power Systems (HEPS), they were capable of giving fast responses on the changes happened through the culinary, tourism, fishpond, etc. This condition emphasized both the central role of women and the knot of all dynamics of the HEPS installation. In conclusion, women groups positioned themselves as the transformation agent of the usage of this renewable energy around HEPS Pantai Baru. As the main beneficiaries, women groups had improved their capability to adapt. It increased the income, consumption level, etc. Despite the success of the adaptation, they were still failing their position as the agents and users of the renewable energy. Their existence was limited merely to objects/beneficiaries, instead of being the subjects/actors of the HEPS technology. This study is essential as a data baseline, prepare the policy of technology intervention as well renewable energy campaign.