Crowd Solar Farming (CSF)

About Solution

Our team is committed to meet the challenge as stated by the initiative, to “allow increased access to, and use of low carbon energy sources in under-served remote communities” and “Enable communities to harness and transition to renewable electricity sources, e.g. wind, water, solar, in an affordable way” [1]. 
Indonesia is surely one of the developing countries that still has many unelectrified villages as much as 2510 villages, reported in 2017 [2]. Even worse, the government via its national electric company stated that it would only be able to support 504 of them till 2019 [2]. It means that after 2019, unconventional solutions are required to electrify those unelectrified villages. If we can overcome this with innovative-sustainable solutions in Indonesia, we hope we can contribute also to other unelectrified villages of other countries and at the same time, put a renaissance in the renewable energy market in developing countries globally.  
By considering the feasibility and the long rung of a company, we offer crowd solar farming (CSF) method. CSF is an online and mobile based platform for profitable deals in renewable energy through city and village community collaborations. This method hopefully would overcome the problem of renewable energy market from three sides. 
Problem 1: Faced by Citizens as Customers
Citizens as customers are still not motivated enough to buy solar cell or renewable energy generating devices. As citizens already have access to reliable electricity, it is not necessary for them to have energy generating devices. Citizens will buy it if only it can be a profitable way of investment. As in Indonesia, the electricity tariff of remote villages is higher than in developed cities [3], so it would be more profitable if the citizens put the devices in the villages rather than on top of their own roof in their cities. CSF will guide the customers on selecting a location where the investment in renewable energy is more profitable by offering a share in reliable renewable energy power plant in remote areas. CSF will provide a clear-transparent monitoring system for the investment return as e-money per KWh according to the share in the power plant. 
Problem 2: Faced by Suppliers
Unreliable e-commerce and implementation for PV devices and services make suppliers hard to sell. In the other hand, e-commerce has become a choice of people to shop. As energy devices are not only as consumed products, currently available e-commerce systems do not provide quality control and complete services associated with the devices. As from the power plant implementation sides, many of currently constructed renewable-based power plant are not reliable and stop running [4]. With the associated services, CSF will come as a new e-commerce system focusing on renewables that will select only high-quality devices that would ensure the long-term implementation in order to be able to offer it to the customers as a worthy investment product. CSF is also designed to be a reliable with its online and mobile application that will make the deal easier for the customers.
Problem 3: Faced by Villagers 
Social energy gaps exist between villagers and citizens without effective help from the governing bodies. Without reliable electricity, villagers are facing many drawbacks such as limited productive activities, less secured condition in too dark areas, and limited education and health care services. CSF would be able to narrow this gap by offering a renewable energy collaboration between city and village communities through reliable online systems. By B2B deals between CSF and national electric company, villagers would buy or obtain with subsidy for the electricity per KWh generated by the power plant operated by CSF. 
Overall, as considering a minimum viable product (MVP), the business process behind the online system of CSF should be ready in the first hand. CSF should have its first reliable power plant equipped by high quality devices and receive agreement in terms of electricity tariff in B2B deals with national electric company and local government. This power plant could be invited as partners of CSF though. Online systems such as web and mobile based e-commerce and monitoring applications are also very vital to be able for CSF to offer these investment products to customers. With this MVP ready, we can approach the customers right away and be ready to have the next new power plants and collaborations then growing the CSF in a sustainable way. We are very grateful if we can get the support from the initiative to bring this CSF idea into reality. 
Our Youtube Video Presentation: https://youtu.be/4Gujfb8VK-I
References:
[1] “Mohammed Bin Rashid initiative for Global Prosperity “, Makingprosperity.com, 2018
[2] PwC, “Power in Indonesia 5th edition”, PwC Indonesia, 2017
[3] M. Wulandari, “Renewable Energy Power Pricing in Indonesia – ASEAN Centre for Energy”, Aseanenergy.org, 2017.
[4] S. Afandi, “PLTS Banyak yang Mangkrak, Keterlibatan Pihak Swasta Sangat Diperlukan, rri.co.id,2016

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