Community based power generation project to promote small solar power plants | Daily News

Community based power generation project to promote small solar power plants

 

The Power and Renewable Energy Ministry will launch a new community based power generation project tiled Soorya Bala Sangramaya (Battle for Solar Energy) to promote the setting up of small solar power plants on the rooftops of houses.

Power and Renewable Energy Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya addressing a press conference at his ministry on Tuesday said the programme aims to get the participation of the power consumers in power generation.

He said the Cabinet paper was approved on Tuesday for the project and added the project would be launched on September 6 at 3.00 p.m. by installing a solar panel at the residence of President Maithripala Sirisena.

“It will be a national project implemented within the next 10 years. Currently 50 percent of electricity production in Sri Lanka is done by renewable energy sources and it is expected to increase this percentage to 60 in 2020 and to 70 percent in 2030. It is required to build wind power plants of 600 MW and solar power plants of 3,000 MW within the next 10 years,” he the minister said.

“Through this project we hope to get at least 20 percent of consumers to produce electricity. There are three ways people can join in this programme. They are the net metering system, net accounting system and net plus system. The first is beneficial to consumers who consume over 200 units, the second is beneficial to those who consume over 120 units and the third is beneficial to any type of consumer,” Siyambalapitiya said.

He said any excess production of electricity from solar panels fixed on rooftops would be purchased by the Ceylon Electricity Board.

Under this project, it is expected to generate 200 MW by 2020 and increase it up to 1,000 MW by 2025. 


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