Solar-hydro hybrid networks taking lead in Sabah's remote electrification efforts?
In the heart of Sabah, a local NGO named Tonibung is making strides in providing sustainable and reliable electricity to remote villages. The organisation's innovative approach to hybrid solar-hydro mini-grids is playing a significant role in the Sabah Renewable Energy Rural Electrification Roadmap (SabahRE2), a strategic plan aimed at achieving 100% rural electrification by 2030.
SabahRE2, aligned with Sabah's broader Energy Roadmap and Master Plan 2040, focuses on deploying renewable energy technologies to power remote and rural communities in Sabah, particularly sustainable and hybrid systems that harness local natural resources such as micro-hydropower and solar energy.
Adrian Banie Lasimbang, the founder of Tonibung, has been at the forefront of this movement. After learning about micro-hydro technology, he became involved in sanitation and energy projects and, in 2008, began designing and manufacturing the majority of components for Tonibung's microgrid projects, which previously had to be imported.
Tonibung's approach includes designing and operating hybrid grids that combine micro-hydro systems (AC) and solar photovoltaic systems (DC) to provide reliable and sustainable electricity tailored to the local environment and user needs. The organisation has opted for a middle path: implementing hybrid systems for new projects and retrofitting older grids to accommodate solar.
One such example is the Terian Village, which was previously powered by a micro-hydropower system and has now been transformed into a hybrid system with solar panels. The hybrid system reduces battery dependence and improves electricity supply resilience, especially during dry seasons when river flow decreases.
The construction and setting up of the grid only take up 20% of the time and resources for the project, with another 40% spent on building trust, obtaining free, prior, and informed consent, surveying the landscape, and feasibility studies. Tonibung ensures that villagers recognise their role as key stakeholders for any micro-hydro or hybrid project and integrates traditional practices like Indigenous concepts of stewardship.
The steady, reliable supply of electricity via the micro grid has allowed villagers to purchase more appliances like freezers, fans, and lights. The capacity of Kampung Buayan's village grid system has expanded from a 10kW system in 2022 to a 40kW system, funded by the United Nations Development Programme. The village now serves as "anchor users" of electricity in the village, with workshops doing carpentry and tapioca grinding.
However, challenges remain, such as logistical challenges for solar waste disposal or recycling and costly battery replacements. Tonibung addresses these challenges by balancing the use of both hydropower and solar to optimize lifespan and sustainability.
Tonibung's work exemplifies a market-based, modular, and community-driven model that fits within the SabahRE2 framework's goals by facilitating faster deployment and ensuring low environmental impact while improving rural electrification outcomes. As Sabah moves towards its goal of 100% rural electrification by 2030, Tonibung's innovative hybrid renewable energy grids will undoubtedly play a crucial role in powering remote villages sustainably and reliably.
- Tonibung's hybrid solar-hydro mini-grids, a key component of SabahRE2, are helping advance the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by providing clean energy to remote villages in Sabah.
- The energy transition toward renewable-energy sources, such as micro-hydropower and solar energy, is essential for the finance and industry sectors to reduce their carbon footprint in line with global energy transition efforts.
- Adrian Banie Lasimbang, Tonibung's founder, not only designs and manufactures components for hybrid solar-hydro mini-grids but also focuses on integrating traditional Indigenous practices, promoting biodiversity conservation, and ensuring low environmental impact.
- As rural electrification progresses, Tonibung's innovative approach to hybrid renewable energy grids will contribute to a more reliable energy supply, which in turn can lead to increased economic opportunities for rural communities.
- The success of Tonibung's initiatives in Sabah demonstrates the potential for other regions to follow a similar market-based, modular, and community-driven model to achieve clean energy access in remote and rural areas while supporting the global mission for sustainable biodiversity and energy transition.
