Pawarim Komuniti

International Companies engaged in PNG in the power sector that also have global experience with
MHP and Solar hybrid (PV plus battery)

Platypus Power
P.O. Box 538 Smithfield,
Queensfield, 4878, Australia
Tel: +61 740558057
Fax +61 740558492
Email: plapower@netc.net.au
Website : www.platypuspower.com.au

Has been designing, mManufacturing and installing renewable energy systems and hydro turbines for 30 years in
Australia and the South pacific.

Secialises in:

 Off grid solar systems

 Micro Hydro systems (either battery charging to 1000 watts or direct 240v up to 20 kW)
 Hybrid Solar Systems

Off grid solar systems

Stand Alone Power Systems (SAPS)

Stand Alone Power Systems are installed mostly in rural areas where connection to the utility grid is too costly or
not practical. System cost is subject to daily energy requirements, components selected and your budget. We
have over 30 years of experience in the design and installation of Remote Power Systems, we ourselves have lived
for many years off grid - we don’t just live it, we breathe it!.

Micro Hydro systems

Micro Hydro systems in either battery charging to 1000 watts or direct 240v up to 20 kW.

Hydro power is an old established method of energy production. Water is captured via a filter / intake structure
and passes downhill in a pipeline to the turbine. The water exits the pipe under pressure through a nozzle and
strikes a water wheel (runner). The force of which spins the runner which is direct coupled to an electricity
generating permanent magnet alternator or enhanced performance induction generator. The electricity is then
electronically regulated and transmitted via cable for use.

Hybrid Solar Systems

A Solar Hybrid system is a Solar Power system that has the capability to produce energy and store it for use at a
later period. It combines several elements (Solar, Batteries, backup generator or the grid) and further down make
that: generator or grid backup automatically without any input from the property owner to produce an energy
system to power your home. Most hybrid systems will also have a device either built into the inverter or that is
installed into the switchboard which monitors your energy usage and talks to your hybrid inverter so it knows
when is the best time to charge or discharge the batteries. The system also has an intelligent management
system that balances battery levels, household power usage and grid back up without any input from the home
owner.

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Pelena Energy
20 Taylor Street, Woy Woy Bay
NSW 2256 Australia
Tel: +61 (0) 2 43 426 520
Fax: +61 (0) 2 43 420 788
Email: mail@pelena.com.au
Website: www.pelena.com

Provide comprehensive equipment supply for remote villages, system design, installation and O&M and
community training. Pelena uses low cost PVC pipes for hydro due to system design based on maintaining lower
pressures and avoiding water hammer effects (removes need for steel pipes)

Pelena founders had been involved in micro-hydro projects in Solomon Islands since the mid-1970s. Company
founders had been introduced to this wonderful technology through the great work of the volunteers of the
Australian NGO, Apace. During these years, the Directors witnessed a significant quantity of equipment - both in
the energy sector and elsewhere - that had been supplied to rural parts of Melanesia, but lay abandoned in a
state of failure.

The Directors independently investigated the causes of many of these failures through site visits and consulting
many people throughout Melanesia and elsewhere. The conclusion reached, especially with energy projects, was
that most of the previously-supplied infrastructure components were only reliable when significant support
infrastructure existed nearby, such as engineering workshops, skilled technical labour, efficient communication
networks, and fast and reliable transportation systems.

The low population density of Melanesia coupled with mountainous terrain and/or multiple islands presents
significant difficulties with infrastructure support services as domestic air and sea travel are very (energy)
expensive when compared to wheeled transportation services offered by roads.

It became clear to the Directors why Melanesia often struggles to maintain the same level of infrastructure
reliability that many Western countries enjoy.

The Directors, in conjunction with many Solomon Islander friends and colleagues, decided that an opportunity
existed for both a new range of products and a new method of delivery and support service.

Focusing initially on micro-hydroelectric turbines, Pelena commenced designing a range of turbines with
significant commonality of component parts. In addition, Pelena established in-country spare parts and support
services. Turbines were designed primarily using stainless steels for long life. Requirements for specialised
maintenance tools were reduced.

The intention was to produce quality, reliable, and supportable products that were suited for both the
environments of ‘modern, advanced, infrastructure rich countries’ as well as countries with little infrastructure
and extremely remote locations.

The success of these turbines - as demonstrated by their continued operation - resulted in an expansion of

Pelena’s technology philosophy to other equipment. The priority aims remain as:

 Offering support services to existing and future projects and products - however remote;
 Establishing and supporting independent enterprise development in the rural areas of developing nations,
particularly those in the South Pacific;
 Developing other rural-development technologies and support services, specifically targeting multi-island
nations with predominately rural populace; and

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 Offering engineering design and consultancy services.

Rainbow Power Company

1 Alternative Way
Nimbin NSW 2480
Australia
02 6689 1430
sales@rpc.com.au

Provides solar and hydro off-grid generation equipment into Pacific Region countries

Here you can buy all your renewable energy products. RPC has high quality solar panels and mounting frames,
inverters in all sizes, regulators or charge controllers, deep cycle batteries, wind and hydro turbines as well as
cables, plugs, sockets, even warning labels and much more.

Export and Services Overseas

Rainbow Power Company Ltd exports around 30% of its products and services to many countries in the Pacific
region and beyond.

Power in these locations is usually needed for home lighting, medical clinics, schools, community centres,
communications projects as well as for village water pumping.

Read more about a project on Mali Island in the Lihir Group of Islands, Papua New Guinea.

We are proud to be the Pacific region distributor for Sundaya which manufactures a range of high quality lighting
kits for developing countries. Their Ulitium kits are arguably the most advanced lighting kits for village homes.

We have also undertaken training courses and consultancy projects in Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Kirribati and
Brazil.

https://www.rpc.com.au/information/developing-countries.html

For village development we usually recommend that power be initially provided to a community centre
such as a school, church, clinic, community centre or aid post. Lighting can be provided to enable
children and others to study and read at night. In some centres we have placed a few outdoor lights on
the veranda or near the centre to encourage community outdoor activities to take place. A fridge
and/or freezer can be provided for vaccines or food (not both in the same unit). In some cases a
TV/VCR, radio or CD/tape player is provided; perhaps a sewing machine to enable women to make and
repair clothing and handicrafts; or perhaps a few light power tools for furniture making etc. A
rechargeable torch charging station is another possibility.

Such centres often have a teacher, nurse or some such person who can be easily trained to look after
the system.

Community centres such as this encourage the community to come together whereas trying to provide
power to individual private houses can often cause arguments and a breakdown of traditional village
life.

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Having a central power system which is shared and looked after can lead to a greater awareness and
appreciation of renewable energy which may lead to a future expansion of this technology in the form
of either an enhanced system for the centre or perhaps the acquisition of individual house systems.
A number of priority areas are suggested for the implementation of an expanded Renewable Energy
program:

1. Basic lighting and vaccine refrigeration for health clinics and hospitals.
2. Basic lighting for schools and perhaps for TV/VCR and/or computers.
3. Basic lighting and radio communication in other aid posts.
4. Basic lighting for teachers' and nurses' homes. These people tend to have come from and been
educated in the major Provincial cities where they are used to having power available. Retaining
such staff in remote isolated areas is an important challenge to overcome. They in turn can help
promote the technology and educate future prospective users.
5. Basic lighting, small freezer and perhaps TV/VCR for other community centres. The provision of
chargers for rechargeable torch and radio batteries is also an important consideration.

As mentioned at the beginning of this submission, a lack of training is the other major barrier to the
successful implementation of a major Renewable Energy program.

Most forms of renewable energy are extremely reliable. Solar PV modules are about the only product in
the world where one gets a twenty - twenty five year warranty. Solar modules run many critical
installations around the world including satellites, communication towers, lighthouses and navigation
beacons and vaccine fridges. Hydro plants provide a significant amount of electrical power in the world.

However, all Renewable Energy systems have limitations. Unlike an PPL connection, one can't start
plugging electric fry-pans and kettles into a small system. They all use batteries which are dangerous,
costly to replace and which require some basic but very important care and maintenance. The
inadequate provision of training has been the leading cause of customer dissatisfaction and system
failure.

Training Programs

Training programs are required on a number of levels for:

 overall management of Provincial and District Programs

 designers and installers of systems
 end users/customers

To conclude, it is submitted that small scale Renewable Energy systems could greatly improve the health
and education of rural dwellers in PNG for a reasonably modest injection of funds. This would be
quicker and more cost effective to implement than extending the PPL reticulation to most remote areas
of Papua New Guinea.

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