"Power Supply Container" Improves Educational Environment and Water Supply Conditions

A "Power Supply Container" resolves the 32-year non-electrification situation of an elementary school in Indonesia and enhances their educational environment. It also improves the water environment by the installation of the pump.

Bandung, Indonesia - Panasonic Corporation announced the installation of the self-developed "Power Supply Container", a stand-alone photovoltaic power package, at the National Elementary School Malabar 04 in the village of Banjarsari, Bandung District, West Java Province, Indonesia, in order to improve the educational environment in this mountainous region. On July 30, 2015, a handover ceremony was held jointly with FEDUs, an Indonesian NGO and a project partner. Approximately 350 individuals including the Bandung government officials, Counselor Takonai from the Embassy of Japan in Indonesia, and the school's teachers and students were invited to the ceremony.

The village of Banjarsari, located at an altitude of approximately 1,500m above sea level, was once electrified by the power company. However, the National Elementary School Malabar 04, which is located in the middle of a tea plantation with a radius of 1 to 2 km, was isolated from the benefits of electrification for 32 years. The school struggled to provide an adequate educational environment through the use of IT, including PCs for the students.

Panasonic will deliver its "Power Supply Container" to the National Elementary School Malabar 04 through the public-private-partnership project that takes advantage of the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects*1 promoted by the Embassy of Japan in Indonesia, and supply power for LED lighting, the school's electrical equipment, and educational tools including PCs, projectors, and TVs to eventually improve the facilities and educational environment.

The "Power Supply Container" is a stand-alone power package that uses Panasonic-made solar panels and storage battery units. During school hours, the "Power Supply Container" supplies power to electrical equipment installed in each classroom and enables the use of lighting fixtures and provision of audiovisual aids by way of PCs and TVs, thereby improving the educational environment. After school, power is used for a wide range of purposes on school premises through the "Power Supply Container" operation union to collect management fees required to maintain the equipment and eventually contribute to the vitalization of the regional community and improvement of regional power infrastructure issues.

The National Elementary School Malabar 04 also suffered from an unstable water supply; however, this project allowed the installation of a water tank and pump to improve in-school water supply conditions.

In this project, Panasonic is responsible for the introduction of the equipment and provision of technical assistance to FEDUs. FEDUs will support the establishment of self-sustainable power supply organizations at the National Elementary School Malabar 04 or in the village of Banjarsari and provide training and support associated with the operation, management, and maintenance of the equipment, with the aim of achieving a sustainable power supply. Panasonic receives support for this project from the BOP Group of the Japan External Trade Organization(JETRO), as well as for generating demand for stand-alone photovoltaic power packages and proposing problem solutions.

Panasonic will further strive to extend a stable power supply to areas without electricity and backup power sources to places that suffer frequent power blackouts, and provide improved social support, including emergency power sources, in the event of disasters. The Company will provide a more rich and comfortable lifestyle in Indonesia and other emerging countries with problems of the electricity infrastructure.

Outline of the "Power Supply Container"

The "Power Supply Container" is equipped with twelve "HIT240" solar modules of Panasonic which have high conversion efficiency and can generate approximately 3 kW of electricity. It can also provide stored power from twenty four built-in lead-acid storage batteries (17.2 kWh as total).

Features of the "Power Supply Container"

Reliable quality performance

The container was designed and developed for mass production to assure stable power supply. PT. Panasonic Gobel ES Manufacturing Indonesia will manufacture the Power Supply Containers and exercise quality management. Going forward, the company will promote transfer of assessment technology in Japan into Indonesia and aim to further lower the price of the containers through mass production.
Easy and quick assembly for portability and expansion

The container is designed to require no expert construction work onsite. This allows general electrical contractors to install the Power Supply Container easily and quickly, helping to promote widespread use of the system on the various islands of Indonesia. If connected equipment and devices are increased, containers can be added to further expand their functions. Because the system is in container form, it can be easily moved from place to place if needed.
Utilization of Panasonic accumulated technologies

The container uses Panasonic HIT(R) solar modules to provide power efficiently, even in a restricted space. The Company's newly developed Power Supply Control Unit as the energy management system to monitor the remaining electricity level of the lead-acid batteries and controls supply and demand, reducing deterioration of the batteries. This reduces the life-cycle cost and maintenance man-hours for the storage batteries.

Specifications

Product Name	Power Supply Container (stand-alone photovoltaic power package)
Container	Container for marine transportation
Dimensions (mm)	4780 (W) × 3452 (L) × 3486 (H) [Container: 3029 (W) × 2438 (L) × 2591 (H)]
Mass	Approx. 3000 kg
Maximum inverter output	3 kW
Total storage capacity	17.2 kWh
Solar modules	"HIT240" solar modules × 12
Control board	Power Supply Control Unit
Storage batteries	12V/60Ah Deep cycle valve-regulated lead-acid battery x 24

*1 Joint public/private sector projects using Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects: the provision of financial assistance in the form of ODA to relatively small-scale projects run locally by local public bodies, educational/medical institutions, NGOs and so on in developing nations. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan provides support for corporate social responsibility of Japanese corporations to develop regional economies and socioeconomic infrastructure in countries undertaking such projects, particularly for cases run jointly by the public and private sectors.

* HIT is a registered trademark of the Panasonic Group in Japan.