Electric Boats Maintain the Flow of Green Energy in Green Canyon Pangandaran

Electric boats at Green Canyon provide practical benefits and are comfortable for the driver and are environmentally friendly.

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Electric-powered tourist boats were seen in Green Canyon tourist area, Kertayasa Village, Cijulang District, Pangandaran Regency, West Java on Sunday (5/5/2024). For two months, 12 boats have been tested using electric power.

The tourist area Green Canyon in Cijulang, Pangandaran Regency, has has been the belle of West Java for decades. However, this year, the energy feels fresher. The presence of electric boats makes the future of nature and humans there even more meaningful.

Azmi Mubarok (48) pressed a button on his boat's outboard engine at Green Canyon Dock on Sunday (5/5/2024) afternoon. Instantly, the 6-horsepower engine roared to life like a car. Azmi is one of dozens of tour boat drivers at Green Canyon.

"Alus (good) euy," said another boat driver who was amazed by the ease of starting the engine. Azmi returned the admiration with a smile.

“If you use a gantar engine, you have to start it while pulling the rope. If you pull it wrong, the rope could hit your face," said Azmi.

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An electric-powered tourist boat transports tourists in the Green Canyon tourist area, located in Kertayasa Village, Cijulang District, Pangandaran Regency, West Java on Sunday (5/5/2024).

Gantar is a versatile conventional machine powered by gasoline. This tool is still commonly used by fishermen and residents along the coast of Pangandaran.

Together with the cool breeze from the estuary of Cijulang River, Azmi's hand swiftly moves the gas lever. Like riding a motorcycle, he has no difficulty in operating it.

As the boat sailed, the water barely stirred. The boat carrying seven people calmly sailed along the river with greenish water.

Another difference, electric machines are not noisy. If you use a gantar, it will be difficult for the boat driver and visitors to talk.

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Fishermen are preparing to take tourists around the Green Canyon tourist area using electric boats in Kertayasa Village, Cijulang District, Pangandaran Regency, West Java on Sunday (5/5/2024).

"When we use the old machine (gantar), we are like mutes on the road because we don't talk. In fact, passengers who are invited to chat are happy. For example, why is the water green?” he said.

Even Azmi, who has been a boat driver since graduating from high school in 1991, has been asked to not use engines on his boat.

The tourist from the Netherlands, he said, did not want a boat with an engine because it was noisy. Azmi made peace and was willing to row the boat using oars.

However, using paddles while traveling along the 3 kilometer Cijulang River is certainly tiring.

Prevent abrasion

That's why, when he heard PT PLN (Persero) was encouraging the use of electric motorized boats in Green Canyon, he immediately agreed. In the last two months, Azmi has often tried it on his boat which he named "Ki Sunda".

Since August 2023, PT PLN has begun facilitating the use of energy-friendly practices in Green Canyon. Currently, out of 80 boats, 12 of them are powered by electricity.

In addition, there are 52 batteries and five public electric vehicle battery exchange stations (SPBKLU) available for free. These batteries can also be recharged for two hours.

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Fishermen are preparing to install new batteries for their electric motor boats in the Green Canyon tourist area, Kertayasa Village, Cijulang District, Pangandaran Regency, West Java, on Sunday (5/5/2024).

So far, Azmi has been enjoying its benefits. In addition to being more practical and comfortable, Azmi also considers that the electric boat is more cost-efficient compared to motorized boats that use gasoline.

On weekends, he needs at least IDR 40,000 or 4 liters of pertalite for four cycles per day. With an electric machine, it costs nothing. "Hopefully, if there are charging costs, the price will be cheaper than petrol," he said.

Moreover, one battery is only sufficient for one trip or return from the dock to Cukang Taneuh or the earthen bridge, the cave with stalactite and stalagmite ornaments, in Green Canyon.

In the future, Azmi hopes that the implementation of green energy will be more ideal. He gave an example of the importance of increasing the power of electric machines.

Also read: Welcoming Cycling in West Java 2024, PLN and Regional Government Prepare Facilities

Although more delicate, according to Azmi, electric motorboats still move more slowly than gasoline-powered engines. On average, electric motors are equivalent to 5-6 horsepower. He also suggested increasing the capacity of the electric motor to make it go faster. "We also need backup batteries. Currently, we still carry a gasoline-powered engine as a backup," he said.

Azmi also hopes for the availability of spare parts and electric machine repair services, aimed at being prepared in case of any issues. Of course, with affordable prices.

In addition to being environmentally friendly by switching from oil fuel to electrical energy sources, residents can also reduce their expenses because electricity prices are cheaper than fuel.

"I have been waiting for a long time (innovation) like this. "I never imagined that electric boats would come here," he said.

The head of Green Canyon tourism awareness group, Suhman, stated that the community is still adapting to electric boats. He is confident that boat owners will utilize them once they realize the benefits. Moreover, this innovation can provide benefits for the environment.

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Tourist boat with an electric engine in the Green Canyon tourist area, Kertayasa Village, Cijulang District, Pangandaran Regency, West Java, Sunday (5/5/2024).

In addition to not using oil or fuel, this boat does not create waves when passing through. This is different from motorboats that create strong waves. This condition can cause a river with a width of 15-20 meters to be affected by abrasion.

"In this river, there are rules that machines shouldn't exceed 7 horsepower. If the boat goes too fast, it will also cause quick abrasion," said Suhman.

That is why the engine capacity of boats is limited. Only rescue boats are allowed to have engines with a power of 15 horsepower. The number of boats in Green Canyon is also limited to only 80 units. "The hope is that these electric boats will attract more domestic and foreign tourists to come to Green Canyon.

Citizen welfare

PLN's President Director, Darmawan Prasodjo, said that part of the Electrifying Marine program was aimed at helping the community improve the productivity of businesses in the marine sector from the start. The tourism boats in Green Canyon are one of the beneficiaries.

Apart from Green Canyon, a similar initiative is supported by PLN to electrify the tourism sector through the use of electric motor boats in the Maros Pangkep Geopark, South Sulawesi.

Electric boats are used by visitors to go around the Karst Rammang-rammang tourist location in Maros Regency. There, PLN provides a Public Electric Charging Station (SPLU) with a capacity of 7,700 volt amperes (VA) at Dock 2 Bridge.

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Fishermen check the battery capacity of electric-powered tourist boats at the Green Canyon tourist area in Kertayasa Village, Cijulang District, Pangandaran Regency, West Java, on Sunday (5/5/2024).

According to Darmawan, this program is very beneficial for the community. Besides being environmentally friendly by switching from oil fuel to electric energy sources, residents can also reduce their expenses because electricity prices are cheaper than fuel prices.

"Together with other environmentally friendly sectors, this effort has the potential to improve the welfare of residents and regional economic growth," said Darmawan.

In line with Darmawan, PLN Pangandaran Customer Service Unit Manager Nico Sugara said that electric boats are not alone in maintaining the sustainability of Green Canyon.

PLN has installed an SPLU facility at the rest area in Green Canyon with a capacity of 33,000 volt amperes (VA). The facility is equipped with six electric charging points.

The environmentally friendly concept can also be seen from the cast floor at pier 1 and paving blocks at pier 2 Green Canyon. Both facilities use full ash bottom ash (FABA) waste material. The former coal burner came from the Adipala Steam Power Plant in Cilacap, Central Java.

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Officials used an application to exchange old batteries with new ones at the public electric vehicle battery exchange station (SPBKLU) in the Green Canyon tourist area, Kertayasa Village, Cijulang District, Pangandaran Regency, West Java, on Sunday (5/5/2024).

Currently, for example, a solar power plant (PLTS) has also been installed on the roof of the Green Canyon Tourism Awareness Group office. This PLTS has a capacity of 5,500 watts.

"The implementation of environmentally-friendly energy will continue to be strengthened. One of them is by increasing the number of electric machines so that residents and the surrounding nature can receive more benefits," said Nico.

As the name suggests, the adoption of green energy in Green Canyon has the potential to become a good example for tourist areas in many other regions. Tourism not only brings prosperity to humans, but also protects nature.

Also read: PLN Ready to Support the Electric Vehicle Ecosystem in Indonesia