Kerosene to Gas Conversion

I was so happy when my favorite “nasi goreng” seller starts using 3 kg Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG). He said the LPG cost is much cheaper than kerosene’s. He had to buy at least 3 liters of kerosene per night before converting to LPG. Now he only pays once every three days for 3 kg LPG can. He does not have to change his stove. With little modification, the old kerosene stove can be used. I was so happy that the skepticism on the conversion has lost the game. People are now using LPG. Maybe this only happens in urban areas. The government still has a lot of homework to distribute LPG to rural areas. Since kerosene is hard to find, people in rural areas are back to firewood.

Kerosene stove easily creating problems. I believe kerosene stoves sets fire in many-crowded settlements in Indonesia, especially Jakarta. Kerosene stove is not easily killed. Sometimes if the fire on the wick is not dead, the stove can explode. Explosion can start fire and many may lost their belongings. Converting to gas reduce the chance of stove explosion and reduce the chance of fire. Gas stove is easily killed. You are sure when you kill the stove. The “click” sound starts and fire is then gone. It is safe.

Gas stove produce fire with higher calorific value. If one keeps the gas stove clean the fire on the stove will be blue. Blue flame shows that it has high calorific value. Kerosene stove achieves such condition hardly. This will affect cooking time and efficient use of energy. It finally will affect the overall energy cost for cooking. If ladies are the ones responsible for cooking then they will have more free time to spend. They can choose to use their free time productively or lazily. Gas stove free up the ladies.

Gas flame does not produce smoke and does not smell. When there is leak, the gas will smell. The kerosene flame usually gives a special trace on the food. It tastes different when nasi goreng is cooked using gas stove. It has purer taste and not “oily” taste (only if the same guy cook it). Concerning the smoke, when somebody kills kerosene smoke, the stove will produce white fume. It is the unburned kerosene. It smells very bad and sticks to your clothes. It is not healthy also. Changing to LPG stove will improve health (especially related to respiratory system) and comfort.

I think, LPG stove and can gives people a lesson on how to manage their finance better, especially for less fortunate families. Kerosene you can buy one liter or even half a liter. You can buy it anytime so that you never record the consumption and never care how much you spend for it. With the LPG you really have to calculate. If one can lasts for 4 days then in one month one will know how much money he has to prepare. This is purely theoretical, one has to prove it in the slumps of Jakarta whether this is true or not true.

But success will not be a success without any negative comparison. Distribution of 3 kg cans is a bit problematic (even in the urban or semi urban area). Price is becoming higher now (there is this pressure to put a price cap for 3 kg cans and also 12 kg cans). Distribution to remote areas is still not working. Local producer cannot supply good quality cans to Pertamina. There are still “bad” distributors that reduce the content of the can and get the profit illegally (as Muslim says – Haram). Distribution of free can and LPG stove is not targeted well because some middle-income families get the subsidized stoves and cans.

It is assumed that rural communities have other options to replace kerosene (i.e. firewood) therefore the kerosene consumption is lower compared to urban consumption. Therefore, conversion from kerosene to LPG should be successful in urban areas where there is bigger consumption. Significant conversion will surely reduce the level of kerosene demand. Since kerosene is still imported and LPG can be produced locally, the government should be able to save more money (foreign currency) and strengthen the value of Rupiah and macro economy of the country.

Support the LPG conversion!! But regulate the market better and distribute the conversion package better!!

picture : www.okezone.com