Javascript is required
Search
Volume 4, Issue 2, 2026
Open Access
Research article
Pico–Micro Hydropower Integration for Community-Based Ice Production Microenterprises in Rural Indonesia
masrur alatas ,
agus maryono ,
Ahmad Fudholi ,
Edy Herianto Majlan ,
faiz zamzami ,
arisman arisman
|
Available online: 04-30-2026

Abstract

Full Text|PDF|XML

Indonesia, an archipelagic nation with more than 17,000 islands, faces persistent challenges in providing reliable electricity to remote communities. Decentralized hydropower offers a sustainable solution by utilizing abundant local water resources. Pico-hydropower and micro-hydropower systems provide cost-effective alternatives for rural electrification while supporting sustainable watershed resource utilization. In this study, a comprehensive identification framework was developed to evaluate the feasibility of integrating pico-hydropower with existing micro-hydropower systems to support community-based ice crystal production microenterprises in Indonesia. Candidate sites were selected using a purposive sampling strategy based on flow continuity, hydraulic head ($\Delta H$), discharge ($Q$), accessibility, and installation suitability. Spatial identification was performed through the integration of Google Earth imagery, unmanned aerial vehicle surveys, and total station measurements, followed by systematic field verification. Repeated field measurements were conducted to reduce measurement uncertainty and improve the reliability and reproducibility of the proposed methodology. Laboratory experiments and field validation were subsequently performed using a pico-hydropower portable turbine equipped with an undershot waterwheel configuration. A total of 60 potential installation sites were identified. Laboratory testing demonstrated that the prototype generated output under flow rates ranging from 11 to 25 L s$^{-1}$, producing sufficient electrical power for 50–100 W light-emitting diode lighting applications. Field validation at 30 representative sites confirmed the technical feasibility of the proposed system. The highest performance was observed at P21, where a rotational speed of 1,543 revolutions per minute and an output voltage of 3.1 V were achieved, providing electrical power equivalent to approximately 100 W under the prototype configuration, whereas the minimum validated performance was recorded at P15 under a discharge of 16 L s$^{-1}$. The results demonstrate that distributed pico-hydropower installations can effectively complement existing micro-hydropower infrastructure, supporting productive applications such as ice crystal production. The proposed framework provides a practical and scalable approach for expanding sustainable decentralized hydropower systems in geographically dispersed regions.

Abstract

Full Text|PDF|XML
High and steep rock slopes are characterized by pronounced geological heterogeneity, making uniform support parameters prone to either insufficient reinforcement in critical zones or excessive support in high-stability regions. To address this limitation, a geological zoning-based optimization strategy for prestressed anchor-cable support was developed and applied to the Biyinggou quarry slope at the Lawa Hydropower Station, China. The slope was divided into four engineering geological zones according to fault distribution and unloading characteristics, and six representative cross-sections were selected to establish 11 potential sliding modes. Stability analyses were conducted using the simplified Bishop method for circular failure surfaces and the simplified Janbu method for piecewise-linear failure surfaces, while governing cases were verified using the Morgenstern-Price method. Factors of safety (FoS) were evaluated for the natural slope, the unsupported excavated slope, the original support scheme, and the optimized support scheme under persistent, transient, and accidental loading conditions. Among 45 stability scenarios, 12 cases involving five governing failure modes failed to satisfy the design criteria. The first governing failure mode in Section 5-5 and the third governing failure mode in Sections 9-9 and 10-10 consistently exhibited the lowest safety margins. The original prestressed anchor-cable system restored all governing failure modes above the required design thresholds. In high-safety-margin weak unloading zones, the optimized support scheme maintained the required safety performance while reducing anchor-cable density and nominal prestressing intensity per unit slope area. These results demonstrate that support optimization based on engineering geological zoning and governing failure modes can maintain the required safety level while reducing redundant reinforcement, providing an effective and economical strategy for stabilizing large-scale high and steep rock slopes.
- no more data -