Photo with representatives of milkfish pond farmers, Dr. Rony Seto Wibowo ST MT, and members of the Abmas team from the ITS SST Laboratory who made solar-powered water pump technology

ITS Campus, ITS News – Conventional energy-fueled engines for milkfish cultivation are not enough to support the increasing market demand. Therefore, the Power System Simulation Laboratory (SST) of the Department of Electrical Engineering ITS, performs community service (abmas) by making solar-powered water pump technology using Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) for irrigating milkfish ponds.

One member of the Abmas team, Annas Abrori Ramadhani Harsin, explained that the community service carried out in Golokan Village, Sidayu District, Gresik Regency, was aimed at helping pond farmers to irrigate their ponds using renewable energy resources.

The leader of the Abmas team, Dr. Rony Seto Wibowo, ST MT (hat), and the person in charge of activities, Fahmi Riza Pahlevi, checked again on the MPPT

Annas continued, Abmas, chaired by Dr. Eng Rony Seto Wibowo ST MT, uses photovoltaic (PV) solar panel technology which allows this pump to work independently. This tool can be used without other power sources such as PLN electricity or diesel fuel. “We use solar energy sources that are always available and accompanied by power management through MPPT,” said Annas.

With MPPT technology, this pump can optimize using and storing energy from solar panels. So, this pump can still be used at night through power storage carried out during the day. “MPPT can change the nature of the battery line which is initially output to energy input which can then turn on the pond aerator pump,” he explained.

Installation of photovoltaic (PV) solar panels by student members of the SST Laboratory, which were reviewed directly by Dr. Rony Seto Wibowo ST MT

Annas said that the costs incurred to irrigate the pond for ten years would be cheaper when using a solar cell-based water pump. In addition, this environmentally friendly tool only requires maintenance costs for its maintenance. “Because it does not require other costs such as for fuel, this pump allows pond farmers to allocate these costs for development in other sectors,” he said.

The 2018 student continued, community service prepared since last August received a positive response from the local community. Residents enthusiastically participated in the socialization and demonstration activities carried out by the Abmas team from the ITS SST Laboratory. “Residents assess that the operation and maintenance of this pump are fairly easy, although we will still be ready to help residents through the Whatsapp (WA) platform,” explained the student from Madiun.

Finally, Annas hopes that this Abmas activity can encourage the community, especially milkfish pond farmers, to apply environmentally friendly-based technology. “Hopefully, later similar technology can be used not only in the Gresik area but also in other areas throughout Indonesia,” he hoped. (ITS Public Relation/far)

Reporter: Ricardo Hokky Wibisono