The Government Asked To Masifize The Elpiji Conversion Trial To An Electric Compor

Photo: Doc. Antara

JAKARTA - Public Policy Observer Trubus Rahadiansyah asked the government to continue the trial of LPG conversion to electricity before it was implemented. The goal is to prove that with an electric stove, people can save money. "It is necessary to do more trials, regions are expanded, the context is in areas where there are many villagers. Not in cities, although in cities it is also necessary. I want to see if using a gas stove is more expensive than electricity. This means cost benefits theory," Trubus said, Monday, September 26. Trubus admitted that he had gone to the field and talked to the public. He concluded, there is no urgency to convert LPG to an electric stove. "This means that the conversion policy has no urgency, the problem is, that's what the government wants. The government wants to convert it to an electric stove, so that this policy is inappropriate for its designation, not appropriate," he said. According to Trubus, the government has yet to communicate publicly to the public on this policy. In addition, supporting infrastructure is also not ready. "Because all infrastructure must be prepared, for example, if it is damaged, take it anywhere. It must be modified according to the watt of the community. There is collaboration with manufacturers, to make it simpler. Moreover, complaints in the electricity community often go out," said Trubus. Therefore, according to Trubus, this policy will not even be realized during the rest of President Joko Widodo's (Jokowi) administration. "I see that Pak Jokowi can't afford it. When it comes to public policy, it can't be in the short term," he explained. As is known, the government plans to conduct trials of LPG conversions to electric stoves in the areas of Solo, Central Java and Denpasar, Bali. "This induction electric stove program is still a trial or prototype of 2,000 units from a plan of 300 thousand units, which will be implemented in Bali and in Solo," said Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto some time ago. According to the General Chair of the Golkar Party, the results of this trial will be an evaluation and improvement material related to the conversion of gas stoves into industrial electricity. Airlangga also emphasized that the government will not impose a three kilogram LPG gas stove conversion into an induction electric stove this year. Power Composite is Cheaper On the other hand, Energy Watch Executive Director Mamit Setiawan assessed that the postponement of the 3 kg LPG stove conversion program to the induction electric stove was mainly due to the government's readiness to carry out the program. "In my opinion, this delay is due to the factor of preparation first. Because the economy, as long as it still uses a subsidy rate, the induction stove is more economical than the gas stove," he explained. Mamit explained the economic calculation of the conversion program. If people use 3 kg LPG as much as 3 tubes in 1 month where the retail price per tube is IDR 20,000 per tube, the expenditure is IDR 60,000 per month. "We compare it with the induction stove where the use in 1 month is at least 60 kwh. With per kwh we use the 900 VA subsidy rate, which is Rp605 per kwh, then a month has to pay Rp37.8 thousand. But everything depends on usage. Just like the electricity tariff in the future," he explained. According to Mamit, the delay will also make PLN's burden even heavier because it has to bear the burden of excess electricity production. The mega project of generating 35 gigawatts (GW) in the 2015-2019 period is the cause of excess electricity capacity. Currently, PLN bears a load of 6-7 GW. "I think that with this delay, the burden for PLN will be even greater, because the excess 6-7 GW adds to PLN's expenditure of IDR 3 trillion per GW per year," he explained. Mamit said the PLN burden would increase due to a cooperation scheme with the Independent Power Producer (IPP). Where PLN is expected to be able to renegotiate the scheme. "The scheme with IPP is take or pay. I think PLN must renegotiate with IPP related to this take or pay scheme so that it does not burden PLN's finances too much. Yesterday's hope was that the conversion could increase electricity consumption," he concluded. Consider Other Energy Baurant Meanwhile, energy economy expert from Gadjah Mada University (UGM) Fahmy Guruni appreciated the government's plan to implement a 3 kg LPG stove conversion program to induction electric stoves. According to him, the delay is also acceptable considering that there are still many technical problems that need to be addressed. "The delay is quite realistic considering that there are still many technical problems that have not been resolved. Users of electric stoves must be customers at the limit of 1,300 VA (volt ampere) and the problem of extinguishing the fire in various regions is an obstacle," he said. According to him, the program is appropriate as long as it is not intended as a transfer of load from PT PLN (Persero) to the community. "As a 3 kg LPG conversion program to an electric stove, it is quite appropriate. But don't let it happen, the program is intended to divert the burden of oversupply from PLN to the community," said Fahmy. In addition, Fahmy emphasized that the program would not be enough to convert 3 kg of LPG usage. Fahmy suggested that the government also consider other energy mixes to convert 3 kg of LPG. "The 3 kg LPG conversion program will not be sufficient with just an electric stove. It is necessary to develop an energy mix consisting of coal gasification into tube gas, gas networks, non-subsidized LPG electric stoves," he said.