African Countries Interested in PT LEN’s Solar Cells

Nusa Dua, InfoPublik – Two solar cells produced by PT Len Industri (Persero), namely LenSolar and LenRescue attract a number of foreign delegates participating in the 2018 IMF-WBG Annual Meetings.

According to one of the attendants at the Indonesian Pavilion in Nusa Dua, Bali, delegates from African countries really interested in these solar cells, for example, Minister of Economy of Madagascar. In African continent, the sun, which one of renewable energy sources, shines every day. So, they are interested in these solar cell products.

In general, LenSolar is applied to residence, office complex, housing complex, and urban areas. Meanwhile, LenRescue is particularly used in emergency situation, disaster areas, and remote areas that do not have access to electricity.

Two products from PT Len Industry exhibited in the Indonesian Paviliion are still in form of models. For LenSolar, the model exhibited is the solar cell that has been used in Subang, West Java which can meet half of energy requirements of an office complex. The energy resulted from this solar cell reaches 200 kwp with a total energy of 800 kwh.

However, LenSolar in the office complex cannot cover all electricity requirements. It uses only as additional power, or about 60 percent of the total of electricity requirements, particularly for lights, water heater, refrigerator, etc. For air conditioners and other devices that need large electric power, the solar cell cannot cover them yet.

LenSolar made by PT LEN can also be applied to manage railways signal system. It is called the Len Interlocking System (LIS), that consist of a set of wireless electric-solar based devices used for controlling train operational.

It is a modern railways signal system that does not also give signal in forms of color, light, or the position of mechanical arm, to the train driver. It automatically gives order to the train drive system to move, stop, turn right, turn left or other orders that have been programed or adjust with the need in the field.

The LIS have been installed in more than 150 train stations in Indonesia, such as Jakarta-Cirebon railways at North lane spanning for 435 km. The advantages of this signal system are easy to operate, use renewable energy, the price is competitive, high priority for security, and can still be improved.

In the meantime, LenRescue, is a model of dynamic solar panel that can be mounted on a vehicle, such as trucks or cars. This solar panel is specially designed to reach remote areas as well as disaster areas that do not have access to electricity.

At the moment, LenRescue is still at development phase by PT LEN. Nevertheless, the Minister of Economy from Madagascar is very interested in this model because it is easy to be transported to remote areas across country that most of them still do not have access to electricity. (Dwi Hardianto/Gusti Andry/Translator: Mia)