Solar-Powered Smart School Innovation Earns UMS Students 5 Medals

Technology-based innovation has once again emerged from Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS) students. Yuanda Eka Saputra has introduced a sustainable education solution targeting underdeveloped, frontier, and outermost regions (known as 3T areas) through Edu Solar & IoT Hub.

The Informatics Engineering Education student explained that Edu Solar & IoT Hub is designed as a self-sufficient learning ecosystem that utilizes solar panel energy and Internet of Things (IoT) technology. This innovation enables teaching and learning activities to continue despite limited access to electricity and digital infrastructure.

"The concept integrates renewable energy sources with an adaptive digital system. With IoT support, the learning process can be connected both online and offline, thereby opening up more equitable access to education across various regions of Indonesia," said Yuanda in an interview on Tuesday (7/4/2026).

The platform is equipped with web-based learning features that support interaction between students and teachers. This makes Edu Solar & IoT Hub not only an energy solution but also an integrated educational innovation.

Yuanda said the idea was born from his concern about the disparity in educational access in remote areas. According to him, the use of technology must be able to address real problems in society.

The 2023 cohort student developed five innovations together with his team. Each has a different concept and product. Every innovation is accompanied by website development and supporting features tailored to user needs.

"However, the process was not without challenges. Limited time and workload distribution were the main obstacles, considering that each team member was responsible for one innovation developed in parallel," he explained.

Nevertheless, these challenges actually strengthened cross-disciplinary collaboration within the team. Yuanda explained that his team members come from technology, health, and socioeconomic backgrounds. The goal is to share perspectives across disciplines.

The team members are Yuanda Eka Saputra (Informatics Engineering Education), Nadhifa Najwa (Biology Education), Taufiq Imansyah (Psychology), Asterika Indah Nuraini (Nutrition Science), and Jihan Nabila Ramadhani (Physiotherapy).

The innovations were then entered in the 7th National Essay Competition (LETIN 7) and Indonesia Youth Forum 2 (FIM 2), organized by Capai Cita on February 14–15, 2026, at Universitas Janabadra, Yogyakarta.

The team successfully won five medals—gold, silver, and bronze—in the technology, food, health, environment, and law, social, and economics categories.

Head of the Informatics Engineering Education program Sukirman, S.T., M.T., Ph.D., expressed appreciation for Yuanda and his team's achievement. This accomplishment demonstrates the ability of the UMS Informatics Engineering Education program to produce excellent and innovative students.

"We greatly appreciate and are proud of the awards and innovations that were competed. This achievement proves that the UMS Informatics Engineering Education program excels and is creative in both innovation and academics," he said optimistically.

Writer: Yusuf Ismail

Editor: Maysali Sudarwati

Translator: Farizal Luqman Majid