Energy at the Margins: Assessing the Initial Impact, Opportunities and Challenges of a Solar Lantern Project in Kalimantan, Indonesia

The Government of Indonesia is facing significant challenges to provide electricity to its population due to geographic and financial constraints. Off-grid solutions provide the potential for electrification in remote and sparsely populated areas. Solar lanterns are one example of an alternative lighting device for domestic consumption in remote communities. This project was undertaken at the request of Kopernik, which is currently implementing a solar lantern project in 3 villages in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. The project is being executed in partnership with the local NGO, Friends of the National Parks Foundation (FNPF). The objective of the report is to identify the need and initial impact of solar lanterns in 3 remote river communities. Through interviews and focus groups it was apparent that households rely on a diverse mix of energy sources including: benzene and diesel generators, solar home systems, biomass, battery powered flashlights, and kerosene. These energy sources can be used for a variety of productive activities including cooking, transportation, lighting and entertainment. Given this complex energy portfolio, the team found that solar lanterns have a complementary role to play and can be economically and environmentally more suitable for domestic lighting than diesel generators, kerosene and solar panels.