JP\/20\/CLAUS<\/p>\n
German engineer remains loyal to Kupang locals<\/p>\n
Yemris Fointuna
\nThe Jakarta Post\/Kupang<\/p>\n
Modest in appearance, polite and open in his attitude as well as
\nfluent in Indonesian, Dr Claus Jurgen Dauselt was born in Munich,
\nGermany, on Jan. 13, 1955.<\/p>\n
He also speaks a little Dawan, the language of West Timor. He
\ngraduated in 1985 in engineering at Munich University,
\nspecializing in development management.<\/p>\n
He has dedicated 15 years of his life to Indonesia, especially
\nEast Nusa Tenggara, Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Maluku, as well as
\nEast Timor (formerly Indonesia's 27th province), and some other
\nsoutheast Asian countries.<\/p>\n
Known as Claus o locals, he is well-known to rural people in
\nEast Nusa Tenggara and several other areas. He is regarded in
\nthese places as a hero, as the benefits of his work are enjoyed
\nby poor communities in over 90 remote villages in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
He came to Indonesia in Sept. 1989 as an engineering
\nconsultant for a clean water sanitation project, the fruit of
\ncooperation between the Indonesian and German governments. Once
\nhere, he decided to leave behind the buzz of the metropolis in
\nhis country, give up his European, bourgeois lifestyle and live
\nwith the poor community in the places where he was assigned.<\/p>\n
Thanks to his persistence and achievement, he was later named
\nhead of the South-East Asia Representative Office of Wind Guard,
\na German company with an international license dealing
\nspecifically in the renewable energy technology.<\/p>\n
Despite this elevated position, Claus, who is married to Susi
\nMD. Katipana, prefers to have his office in Kupang. \"I can work
\nmore peacefully here as it is far from noise sources. My working
\nterritory covers the whole of southeast Asia, but I don't want to
\nhave my office in Bali, Jakarta or Singapore.<\/p>\n
\"I prefer to live among villagers. I can joke with them, share
\nlove with them and we can appreciate one another,\" he said at his
\nbeautiful home in Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan, Kota Baru, Kupang.<\/p>\n
There is nothing better in this life than doing good for those
\nwho need care and love. It has come as no surprise, therefore,
\nthat his work deals with topics such as solar energy, clean water
\nsanitation facilities, public latrines and aid for natural
\ndisaster victims.<\/p>\n
The fruits of his work have been enjoyed in many a village.
\n\"Many people say that East Nusa Tenggara is poor, barren and dry.
\nGod, however, has bestowed this region with a lot of solar heat
\nand wind. This potential cannot be found anywhere else. So, why
\ndon't we tap this potential for the welfare of the locals?\" he
\nasked.<\/p>\n
Claus said Indonesia was once recorded as one of the world's
\nlargest oil exporters. Today, however, it has become an oil-
\nimporting country. This shows that there is a decrease in the
\nworld's natural oil and gas reserves and that some day these
\nreserves will be depleted.<\/p>\n
This great concern has prompted him to help people in East
\nNusa Tenggara, Kalimantan, Maluku and Sulawesi to be able to tap
\nthe potential of solar heat and the wind as a source of
\nenvironmentally friendly alternative energy.<\/p>\n
As a specialist in development management with an engineering
\nbackground, Claus has carried out wind surveys in Kupang, Rote
\nNdao and Central South Timor regencies and also in several other
\nregencies in Maluku.<\/p>\n
He then established a wind database for the construction of a
\npower-generating turbine -- the largest in Indonesia and the most
\nsophisticated in South-East Asia.<\/p>\n
This wind power is utilized as a source of renewable energy, a
\nway of addressing the fuel crisis, and has also been used to
\ndistil seawater into fresh water, a response to the shortage of
\npotable water in most parts of Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"I visited many villages. Most complain about a lack of water
\nand electricity. I have told them they have great solar heat and
\nwind potential. Then there is technology to overcome the shortage
\nof water and electricity.<\/p>\n
We can build a turbine. The government has said that it is
\nimpossible to build a diesel-powered, electricity-generating
\nstation in many villages due to high cost and difficult
\ntopography. We helped the villages by providing them with solar
\npower,\" said Claus, whose son is Ulrich Benyamin Frederick
\nDauselt.<\/p>\n
In advanced countries, he said, electricity was essential
\nbecause it allowed people to work night and day. Thanks to
\nelectricity, people can make use of technology to build their
\nbusinesses.<\/p>\n
Electricity also allows children to study in a more peaceful
\nway. Besides, thanks to electricity and communications
\ntechnology, the community can keep up with the latest
\ninformation. East Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, rural areas of
\nKalimantan, Papua and several other regions are still considered
\nthe least developed due to a lack of electricity.<\/p>\n
\"Take Oeledo village, Rote Ndao regency, East Nusa Tenggara,
\nfor example. Before 2001, this village was really isolated. We
\nhave helped this village with solar power. At first each family
\nearned less than Rp 60,000 but now their income has risen to over
\nRp 500,000.<\/p>\n
\"These villagers make use of electricity for their home
\nindustry. They can use electronic gadgets. They also have public
\ntelephones and can communicate with the outside world,\" he noted.<\/p>\n
Claus, who has also collected over 6,000 traditional ikat
\n(tie-dyed) woven fabrics from various regions, suggested that
\nIndonesia, which is a tropical country, most of whose territory
\nis dry, should move swiftly to alternative energy as a source of
\nelectricity.<\/p>\n
\"Many advanced countries like Germany, Denmark, Britain, the
\nUnited States and many others in Europe, have, since the early
\n1980s, campaigned for the use of alternative energy. More than 10
\npercent of the energy requirements in these countries is supplied
\nby wind turbines and solar power. Their climate is different to
\nIndonesia's. You have only wet and dry seasons in this country,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Perhaps, owing to his great love for Indonesia, and
\nparticularly because of his partiality with the poor, smiling
\nClaus has repeatedly refused to be transferred to Europe and
\nAfrica.<\/p>\n
As the driving force of Wind Guard in southeast Asia, he
\ncontrols the operations of this famous company in Kupang, a
\nrocky, dry and barren city.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jp20claus-1447899208",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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