Sumedang tofu is not only savory and delicious, but there is a waste problem that pollutes the environment. In Giriharja Village, tofu waste is processed into alternative energy.
Kampung Giriharja, located not far from the Alam Sari roundabout in Sumedang, a city famous for its crispy and savory brown fried tofu, is accessible through a slightly descending alley flanked by sparsely populated residential areas with patches of greenery. After crossing a small river bridge, the road ascends towards the wooden-roofed gate of Kampung Giriharja, adjacent to a signboard for a tofu waste biogas plant.
It is from this plant that the residents of Kampung Giriharja obtain gas for cooking, including the production of the renowned Sumedang tofu.
The Sumedang Tofu Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) is located approximately 250 meters from the village gate and signboard, about 40 kilometers from Bandung. Access to the WWTP is via a footpath leading down into a small valley. Here, another signboard cautions against lighting fires indiscriminately.
The WWTP facility occupies a 20×20 meter area enclosed by a blue, rusting iron fence. Behind the fence are wastewater storage tanks, including six vertical tanks roughly the size of a fuel tanker truck and one horizontal tank twice as large, which serves to store biogas from tofu residue.
This entire installation is connected by pipes to the tofu factories located in Kampung Giriharja. The village hosts 9 tofu factories that channel their liquid waste to the WWTP. The WWTP serves a dual purpose: treating the liquid waste so it can be safely released into rivers, and converting waste into biogas to produce a fuel similar to LPG. This biogas is distributed to 55 households in Kampung Giriharja for cooking needs.
The Role of Women
Women in Kampung Giriharja played a crucial role in establishing the WWTP, designed since 2020 by LIPI (now the National Research and Innovation Agency or BRIN). The research and design of the WWTP were led by senior researcher Neni Sintawardani, who now serves at BRIN’s Center for Environmental Research and Clean Technology.
Neni Sintawardani explained that several factors contributed to the realization of the Sumedang tofu WWTP in Kampung Giriharja, one of which was considering the needs of the biogas users, namely the women.
“The users, who are primarily housewives, are responsible. Some expressed interest in using biogas, while others preferred LPG due to reliability issues with biogas. Those who have no other options wait for biogas availability. Here, women play a significant role,” Neni told Ekuatorial.com on March 28, 2024.
Neni was the researcher who initiated the management of the Sumedang tofu WWTP in Kampung Giriharja. Since 2010, she and her team from LIPI have been engaging with the village community to emphasize the importance of tofu waste management. The outreach primarily targeted women as biogas users.
“However, the most significant role here is played by the tofu artisans themselves. In terms of biogas users, the women, the consumers, they demand consistency in the biogas supply,” explained the woman who won The Underwriters Laboratories-ASEAN-U.S. Science Prize for Women 2021 in the Senior Scientist category.
Dedeh Hidayah (43 years old), a biogas user, finds the WWTP biogas highly beneficial for the community. Dedeh is one of the 55 housewives receiving biogas from the tofu waste WWTP.
Therefore, Dedeh, who also runs a tofu business that contributes waste to the WWTP, strongly supports the sustainability of the WWTP.
“I’m a user. At the factory, the waste is segregated and channeled to the biogas (WWTP). Biogas is very useful in helping the community here. Waste becomes biogas, producing gas. When gas is scarce, biogas from tofu waste helps,” Dedeh stated during an interview with ekuatorial.com on Sunday, March 24, 2024.
Dedeh and her husband, Pepen Sopendi (43 years old), have been running the Dentri tofu brand for 12 years. Pepen works as a technician at the biogas WWTP while managing their tofu business.
Dedeh compared cooking with biogas and LPG. She pays a fee of IDR 20,000 for a three-kilogram biogas cylinder, while a three-kilogram LPG cylinder costs her IDR 25,000. In a month, she uses 3-4 LPG cylinders for cooking. She also employs staff who need coffee and meals daily.
“With biogas, one cylinder costs 20,000 rupiahs. For melon (LPG), it’s 25,000 rupiahs. So, the difference of 5,000 rupiahs is significant,” said Dedeh.
The availability of biogas is particularly helpful during LPG shortages, a sentiment echoed by other biogas-using women in the community.
“The other residents’ response is very positive; they are helped by the availability of biogas. If LPG is hard to find, thankfully, there is biogas,” Dedeh added.
All biogas installations in homes are provided free of charge, including the gas stoves, supplied by LIPI. Residents simply use them. “Stoves are provided by BRIN, at no cost,” stated Dedeh.
Biogas: More Than Just a Bonus
Before the WWTP’s establishment, the pungent smell of tofu waste was a common complaint among Kampung Giriharja residents. Previously, tofu factories dumped their waste directly into the river without any treatment.
The once-clear river water in the hilly and valley-rich village turned murky and foul-smelling. Fish died, and riverside agriculture suffered from contamination. This issue was particularly lamented by downstream residents.
Neni Sintawardani and her team recognized that the tofu waste problem involved complex issues related to livelihoods, production processes, sanitation, and more, requiring a scientific and technological approach.
Kampung Giriharja has 11 tofu factories of various production scales, all of which used to dispose of their waste in the river. “You can imagine what happened in the river, especially downstream,” Neni remarked.
This led to the development of a biogas reactor that could treat tofu liquid waste while producing gas. The construction of this reactor received funding support from the Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
A technological approach alone was insufficient to address the complex waste issues in a village. The team needed to engage intensively with the community, aiming to build environmental awareness and save the river.
“At first, we asked the community if they were aware of environmental aspects and so on. They acknowledged it, mentioning that local newspapers had reported that our village was polluting, according to downstream residents. What appeared in the media made them think we were the polluters,” Neni shared.
Once community awareness began to rise, the LIPI team proposed the biogas reactor solution. The community eventually agreed and collaborated in building the biogas facility.
The approach to the residents began in 2010 and took a year, starting from building awareness until they understood the need for a WWTP or biogas reactor. The team also had to instill a proactive rather than passive attitude towards the benefits of biogas.
“Could they be involved? They were willing to provide land (for building the WWTP),” Neni said.
Meanwhile, Neni frequently traveled to Singapore to discuss the funding progress for the biogas reactor program. By the end of 2013, funding was approved. Construction of the reactor took place from 2014 to 2016. The villagers, especially the tofu artisans, contributed by pooling resources to provide a 20×20 meter plot for the reactor’s construction.
“We started running it in 2016, and it performed well during continuous testing. By 2018, we handed it over to the community. Now, the entire management is by the community, by the association of tofu artisans. They own the unit. And there’s a technical manager, Mr. Pepen (Pepen Sopendi, Dedeh Hidayah’s husband, a tofu entrepreneur),” she explained.
The tofu waste entering the installation is treated anaerobically, capable of producing alternative energy in the form of biogas. The waste is processed in a closed system, preventing microbes from surviving. High organic content in tofu waste is broken down by microbes into methane and carbon dioxide, known as biogas energy.
The anaerobic WWTP can process concentrated liquid waste with a capacity of 24 cubic meters per day. From this, biogas is produced and distributed to the homes of Giriharja residents for daily cooking needs.
According to Pepen Sopendi, the reactor technician who is also a tofu entrepreneur, before the WWTP was established, residents often protested due to the smell of tofu waste produced by the local tofu factories. The smell of tofu waste was particularly intense during the dry season.
“Before the WWTP, waste was dumped into the river. Agriculture died, fish were damaged, and many complained about the unpleasant smell. Thankfully, after being addressed by BRIN and through cooperation, it has had a beneficial impact on the community and tofu artisans,” said the 43-year-old man.
As time passed, the sustainability of the tofu waste WWTP was tested. Currently, out of 11 factories, 9 continue to utilize waste management at the installation. The number of homes receiving biogas pipelines has also decreased from 99 to 55. According to Pepen, the installation was originally designed to meet the gas needs of 55 homes.
Waste from the 9 tofu factories is automatically pumped to each storage tank, then enters the reactor for bacterial decomposition. In this process, waste is broken down and liquids are separated. The water exiting the reactor appears clear and odorless, ready to be discharged into the river.
Biogas formation occurs when the waste decomposes. This biogas enters a reactor and is pumped to the homes of residents every day from 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM.
For Pepen, biogas is a bonus from waste management. The priority of this program is not biogas but the management of tofu waste to prevent environmental and river damage.
“Gas is a result of the waste process, a gift from decomposition. Instead of being wasted, it’s used for cooking by the residents,” said Pepen.
Pepen is one of the tofu entrepreneurs who has been actively supporting the construction of the tofu waste installation from the beginning. He has been involved in the tofu business under the Dentri brand for 12 years. This high school graduate now serves as the WWTP technician. He designed the piping and oversees the operational management of the WWTP.
Initially, there was a specific technician working at the WWTP. At that time, the WWTP was still in the process of transitioning management from LIPI to the residents. During the transition, Pepen learned about the technical issues related to the WWTP. His background as a high school graduate helped him understand the technical aspects of waste management installation.
The technician’s role is more about supervising the installation because the machinery operates automatically. When waste is channeled, when it is pumped to the reactor, and when gas is sent to residents’ homes through pipelines, everything runs automatically. Operational management of the reactor can be done using a special app installed on Pepen’s smartphone.
On certain days, students intern or conduct research at the WWTP. Regarding research, Pepen is assisted by a resident and tofu entrepreneur named Lilis. Lilis checks the waste, water PH levels, acidity, and other factors. Meanwhile, Pepen handles field technical issues, such as leaks and other problems.
“Ms. Lilis is a resident and tofu artisan as well, she’s more into the research. She also collects fees from the residents,” said Pepen.
Biogas WWTPs are not new in Indonesia. Many biogas installations have been built. The challenge is, how many of these installations are sustainable to this day?
This was a concern for Neni Sintawardani when designing the Sumedang tofu waste WWTP.
The sustainability of alternative energies like biogas from tofu waste requires substantial government support, specifically in terms of funding. After a biogas WWTP is built, significant and ongoing maintenance costs are required. Additionally, there’s the matter of regenerating WWTP management at the local level.
“For this, government support is needed. The role of local government support should be quite significant here,” said Neni.
The tofu waste WWTP in Kampung Giriharja could easily be replicated in other areas facing industrial waste issues. The blueprint for the LIPI-designed tofu waste WWTP is accessible to anyone interested in building one, provided there is funding. Communities would struggle if they had to finance it themselves. Therefore, local governments should ideally provide this funding.
Renewable or alternative energy is now discussed in many forums amid the threat of climate change due to global warming. However, every energy transition plan or discussion requires funding for execution.
“A plan without funding is useless. Just provide the funding, I’ve given everything (the WWTP blueprint), just build it yourself,” she said.
After the WWTP was established, maintenance became a crucial issue. Energy independence cannot be achieved without guaranteed maintenance. The maintenance and sustainability issues are particularly felt by Pepen, who travels daily from home to the WWTP.
Pepen was appointed as the technical manager of the WWTP not because he wanted the position, but because no one else was willing to take care of it. Although everything runs automatically, the environment around the WWTP still requires maintenance, from clearing grass, checking installation equipment, to repairing pipes and roofs.
When Ekuatorial visited, several installation roofs appeared hole-ridden, some already rusted and corroded. All this maintenance requires funding. Meanwhile, the biogas fees collected from residents are insufficient to cover these operational costs. Pepen often has to dig into his own pocket instead of receiving a salary.
The WWTP’s regular expenses include electricity costs of IDR 300,000 per month, replacing operational machine oil, piping, cleanliness, and other factors. The total ideal monthly operational and maintenance costs reach IDR 2.5 million. However, the current operational funds collected average only IDR 1 million per month, sourced from biogas fees.
For this reason, Pepen hopes that local governments, both at the district and provincial levels, will help finance the sustainability of the biogas WWTP. “I’m worried that without maintenance, the WWTP will become a museum (non-functional),” said Pepen.
The WWTP significantly impacts the reduction of tofu waste. Over time, the biogas WWTP, which initially served 99 families, has decreased to 55 families. Various factors have caused this reduction in participation, ranging from unstable tofu waste volumes due to decreased tofu production, monthly fee challenges, and other issues. A shortage of waste leads to unstable gas supply, causing some residents to switch back to LPG.
“Because the waste volume decreased, not matching production, the gas also decreased. Naturally, the community as users might object to buying the gas. After that, many were reduced or disconnected (from the biogas), leaving 55 homes remaining,” said Pepen.
However, the figure of 55 homes actually aligns with the original design of the WWTP, which ideally meets the biogas needs of 55 homes.
The volume of tofu waste from the 9 factories fluctuates according to tofu production. Simply put, the more tofu produced by the 9 factories in Kampung Giriharha, the more waste is generated.
Recently, since the operation of the Cisumdawu toll road connected to the Cipali toll road, there has been a decrease in vehicle traffic passing through the central route of Sumedang. Consequently, the number of drivers who used to pass through Sumedang and stop to buy tofu has decreased. At the same time, the prices of fuel and soybeans continue to rise.
“Now there’s a difference after the toll road was completed, buyers decreased, production decreased, so waste decreased,” he said.
Dedeh Hidayah added that the tofu waste biogas WWTP must be able to endure and be supported by government policies. The government must stabilize soybean prices in any way possible. Rising soybean prices burden the Sumedang tofu industry.
Previously, the price of imported soybeans was only IDR 6,700-8,700 per kilogram. However, now, the price of soybeans has reached IDR 10,900, even approaching IDR 11,000 per kilogram. This price heavily burdens Sumedang tofu artisans.
According to Dedeh, if soybean prices are stable and affordable, tofu entrepreneurs like herself wouldn’t struggle with production and setting tofu prices. Tofu waste would continuously flow into the installation to produce alternative energy.
With the current conditions, tofu entrepreneurs still harbor concerns about soybean prices. Moreover, during the fasting month, tofu sales tend to decrease. Normally, Dedeh’s tofu factory produces tofu using 3 quintals of soybeans. Now, due to fasting and high soybean prices, her production has dropped to only 1.5 quintals.
“My advice to the government is to stabilize soybean prices so our production can increase. This way, consumer purchase prices can also be met,” hoped Dedeh.
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