Sustainability Potential for Renewable Energy System in Isolated Area that Supports Nantu Boliyohuto Wildlife Reserve

It is still a challenging task to fulfill power demand of Tumba Hamlet in Tamaila Utara Village, which is an isolated area in the buffer zone of Nantu Boliyohuto Wildlife Reserve. The efforts to fulfill the demand had been carried out by the local government by distributing the Solar Home System (SHS) to all households in 2013. However, the SHS performance quickly declined because the solar panels in the rooftop covered by dense and lush trees, and then it did not work at all in 2018. This research performs pre-feasibility in building the micro-hydro powerplant (MHPP) and its sustainability potential in Tumba Hamlet to fulfill the community's electrical energy needs without disrupting the Nantu Boliyohuto Wildlife Reserve. A basic survey was performed in exploring river resources and topographical conditions in this hamlet. Sustainability study, including technical, social, and environmental aspects, was conducted by interviewing the residents. The results show that the power needs in Tumba Hamlet are 48.5 kW. This demand can be fulfilled by the MHPP with head and water discharge of 10 meters and 0.706 m3/s, respectively. It was found that positive feedback in the technical, social, and environmental aspects of sustainability is dominant.