ITS students from the Marine Engineering Department introduced their innovation product, SEAFERS, at 2019 WINTEX 

ITS Campus, ITS News – Development of new renewable energy in Indonesia needs to be a priority issue for the government. Indonesia has the potential for abundant new renewable energy but has not yet been utilized to its full potential. Departing from the issue, five students of the Marine Engineering Department of the Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) developed a product innovation called Smart Renewable Floating Energy Generator (SEAFERS). The innovation was successfully brought home gold medal in the 2019 2nd World Invention and Technology Expo (WINTEX) at Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII), Jakarta, last 12th October.

They are Danar Adi Irfanto, Muhammad Taufiq Fathurrahman, Alem Reyhan Savero Saputra, Fitricia Putri Rizki Ricinsi, and Muhammad Rifki Abdilla who succeeded in making ITS proud in international competitions. This competition is part of the 2019 Indonesia Inventors Day Activities held by the Indonesia Invention and Innovation Promotion Association (Innopa).

20 categories are contested in the WINTEX event. The contested event focused on the works exhibition and the visualization of the innovative products made. “Our team is trying to develop a prototype by taking the power and electricity category,” said Danar Adi Irfanto as the representative of the team.

Dana explained that SEAFERS is a floating power plant design that utilizes renewable energy in its energy conversion. This innovative product utilizes the conversion of ocean wave energy into electrical energy. In terms of innovation, Danar and the team designed a power plant that can float with a semi-submersible structure. “The structure can make this generator stable on strong waves and deep seas,” he explained.

The power plant is also equipped with five turbines that have different functions. One turbine named Gorlov Helical turbine converts ocean waves into electricity and the remaining four are Savonius Wind turbines that convert electricity from wind power.

Later, this power plant will be implemented in the Capalulu Strait of North Maluku Province which has promising potential because the speed of the ocean wave there reaches 5 meters per second with its wind speed reach 8 meters per second. Besides, the electrification ratio in North Maluku is also relatively low compared to other provinces in Indonesia. “With this potential, our power plant will later generate power up to 5353,335 kilowatts (kW),” he said.

He also explained that this innovation was a result of advanced research. In previous research, Danar and the team have directed research on the utilization of ocean waves. However, after seeing the characteristics of the strait there, it is not suitable for the application of the oscillating wave column. “Finally, the focus of the SEAFERS innovation product is to use only ocean waves and winds,” he added.

Asked about the advantage of the products made, Danar revealed that SEAFERS has interesting and futuristic designs and ideas. Besides, another advantage of SEAFERS is the existence of an economic feasibility study compiled in detail and coherently based on real and future calculations. “That advantage becomes a differentiator from other innovative works,” he said.

In the future, he hopes that ITS students can have high enthusiasm to create various innovations, especially in new renewable energy fields. He also hopes that this product could be further developed. “Later, we want to explore deeper research and design innovations on other platforms to be contested at the international level,” he concluded. (lut/bel/gayatri)

SEAFERS Innovation Products can deliver them to win the gold medal in power and electricity category