People-profile-ClausDauselt<\/p>\n
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 also speaks a
\nlittle Dawan, the language of West Timor.<\/p>\n
Born in Munich, Germany, on Jan. 13, 1955 and an engineering
\ngraduate of Munich University with a specialization in
\ndevelopment management, he has dedicated 15 years of his life to
\nIndonesia, in particular East Nusa Tenggara, Kalimantan, Sulawesi
\nand Maluku, as well as East Timor and several other Southeast
\nAsian countries.<\/p>\n
Known as Claus to locals, he is well-known among the rural
\npeople in East Nusa Tenggara and several other areas. He is
\nregarded in these places as a hero, as the benefits of his work
\nare enjoyed by poor communities in over 90 remote villages in
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
He came to Indonesia in September 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 urban lifestyle and live with the poor
\ncommunity in the places where he was assigned.<\/p>\n
Thanks to his persistence and achievement, he was later named
\nhead of the Southeast Asia Representative Office of Wind Guard, a
\nGerman company with an international license dealing specifically
\nin renewable energy technology.<\/p>\n
Despite his title, Claus, who is married to Susi Katipana,
\nprefers to have his office in Kupang. \"I can work more peacefully
\nhere as it is far from any noise. My work territory covers the
\nwhole of Southeast Asia, but I don't want to have my office in
\nBali, Jakarta or Singapore.<\/p>\n
\"I prefer to live among the villagers. I can joke with them,
\nshare love with them and we can appreciate one another,\" he said
\nat his beautiful home on Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan, Kota Baru,
\nKupang.<\/p>\n
His development work involves 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 villages.
\n\"Many people say that East Nusa Tenggara is poor, barren and dry.
\nGod, however, has bestowed this region with a lot of solar energy
\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 one of the world's largest oil
\nexporters. Today, however, it has become an oil-importing
\ncountry. This shows that there is a decrease in the world's
\nnatural oil and gas reserves and that some day these reserves
\nwill be depleted.<\/p>\n
This concern has prompted him to help people in East Nusa
\nTenggara, Kalimantan, Maluku and Sulawesi to be able to tap the
\npotential of solar energy and the wind as a source of
\nenvironmentally friendly alternative energy.<\/p>\n
Claus has carried out wind surveys in Kupang, Rote Ndao and
\nCentral South Timor regencies and also in several other regencies
\nin Maluku. He then established a wind database for the
\nconstruction of a power-generating turbine -- the largest in
\nIndonesia and the most sophisticated in Southeast Asia.<\/p>\n
Wind power is utilized as a source of renewable energy, a way
\nof addressing the fuel crisis, and has also been used to distill
\nseawater into fresh water, a response to the shortage of potable
\nwater in many 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 energy
\nand wind potential. Then there is technology to overcome the
\nshortage of 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 the high cost and difficult
\ntopography. We helped the villages by providing them with solar
\npower,\" said Claus.<\/p>\n
In advanced countries, he said, electricity was essential
\nbecause it allowed people to work day and night. Thanks to
\nelectricity, people can make use of technology to build their
\nbusinesses.<\/p>\n
Electricity also allows children to study without
\ninterruption. 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 and East Nusa
\nTenggara, for example. Before 2001, this village was really
\nisolated. We have helped this village with solar power. At first
\neach family earned less than Rp 60,000 but now their income has
\nrisen to over Rp 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, with much of its
\nterritory being dry, should move swiftly to alternative energy as
\na source of electricity.<\/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 affinity with the poor, smiling Claus
\nhas repeatedly refused to be transferred to Europe or Africa.<\/p>\n
As the driving force of Wind Guard in Southeast Asia, he
\ncontrols the operations of the company in the rocky, dry and
\nbarren city of Kupang.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/people-profile-clausdauselt-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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