SOLAR POWER ELECTRICITY IN SRI LANKA

Sri Lanka is mainly dependent on hydropower, thermal heat and other alternative energy production methods to fulfil our electricity needs. The country’s current electricity consumption per capita accounts to 495 kilowatt hours approximately and is expected to increase dramatically in future. In order to cater to the growing needs and demands of electricity, measures have been taken to encourage the use of solar energy which is a healthy option that would prevent environmental pollution and in parallel, meet the high end electricity needs of general public.

Solar power to the grid

Solar power electricity.

Solar energy is generated by converting sunlight into electricity with the help of devices such as ‘Solar PV Modules’ and ‘Inverters’ which is then supplied to consumers for usage. Joining hands with CEB and LECO along with the approval of the Minister of Power and Renewable Energy, solar service providers have implemented a system which exports the excess solar electricity generated from the domestic solar users to the national grid. In return, the CEB / LECO will pay the domestic user for the number of units contributed to the national grid by paying a sum of Rs.22.00 per unit for the first seven years and Rs.15.50 for eight to 20 years. In other words, the consumer gets paid by the CEB / LECO when their solar system generates excess energy and shares the surplus units with the national grid. This payment arrangement is applied for ‘Net Accounting’ and ‘Net Plus’ solar scheme users.

Another plus point for the solar energy consumer is that they do not have to pay electricity bills unless their consumption is more than what is generated on their own roof top. This helps electricity consumers to reduce their bills up to zero and benefit with unlimited electricity usage.

Solar electricity generation takes place well under tropical climatic conditions with dry weather patterns making the generation process easy and profitable to consumers. The concept of solar energy has proved that this system is well suited to our country as a good harvest on solar electricity and has been recorded in many places in the island. Increased solar energy generation and usage have been reported from the areas of Anuradhapura, Jaffna, Vavuniya, Kurunegala, Trincomalee, Mannar, Galle, Matara, Hambantota, Colombo, Batticaloa and Ampara where electricity demands are high and consumers are cost conscious in their daily routines.

Solar in Anuradhapura

The North Central Provincial Council Chief Secretary, Anoma Manel addressing a recent ceremony to promote solar power in Anuradhapura said,

“We should give more attention to sustainable energy. The Battle for Solar Energy (Soorya Bala Sangramaya) is environment friendly. We should use the solar energy with a sustainable power existence plan and we need to develop it more and provide more infrastructure to it”.

Power and Renewable Energy Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya participating in the Solar power programme.

I am using solar power to obtain electricity at my home. We should make the best use of the constantly shining sun in areas such as Anuradhapura. The best suitable way to produce electricity with a zero environmental pollution is to use solar power. We have to appreciate the decision our President has taken focussing on environment issues. I wish good luck, strength and energy to continue this noble deed to the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority, Electricity Board, UKSOL Ltd., the British solar panel producer, Sunleaf Solar Solutions (Pvt) Ltd., the sole distributor of UKSOL panels in Sri Lanka for their effort in lighting the country with solar energy. Also I appreciate the banking sector for their financial support rendered to solar consumers and showing their positive approach towards creating a pollution free environment, she continued.

Thus far a total of 100MW electricity has been generated in excess from solar system and exported to the national grid after catering to the domestic needs of the solar system owners within the period of one year, said Power and Renewable Energy Minister, Ranjith Siyambalapitiya.

“We expect to cover all parts of the country with solar electricity by installing roof-top solar system on every building in the island. We are confident that this is achievable and a result oriented target which is not too futuristic. Sri Lanka being a tropical country with the benefit of having sunlight for more than 12 hours per day, using solar systems to generate electricity will be truly beneficial as this process reduces the dependency on other modes of electricity generation for which the production costs are high and the consumer is burdened with huge bills for their usage.

Knowing that Sri Lanka is the only country in the South Asian region which provides electricity for 24 hours on a daily basis, it is high time we educate our people on the advantages of using solar power to fulfil their electricity needs”, he added.

UKSOL Ltd, one of the private companies working with the government on the project was also present on the occasion and UKSOL Ltd, Founder and CEO, Andrew Moore said,

“We sincerely support the Sri Lankan Government together with Sunleaf Solar Solutions (Pvt) Ltd., who is the sole distributor of UKSOL panels in this island, to fulfil the Government’s objective of generating solar electricity for the capacity of 200 MW by 2020 and achieve the target of 1000 MW electricity generation by 2025. The ongoing solar power project in Sri Lanka has seen good results and is moving towards a successful track. With abundant sunlight throughout the country, installing high quality and durable roof-top solar panels will be a definite advantage in the country’s development by generating a reasonable income while protecting the environment”.

Investing in solar

The capital investment to install a solar power system is high and thus the private sector has expressed the view that the project can be expedited if the banks took the initiative to mortgage the proposed solar system to obtain the loan.

The banks have enforced various conditions that need to be satisfied from the customer’s end in order to secure the solar loan which in return, lays a heavy burden on the solar consumers. With financial schemes not working effectively as expected, the business community has asked for concessions for solar loans and suggested that the banks work out a plan together with the Ceylon Electricity Board to grant concessionary solar loans by mortgaging the solar system which will act as collateral for loan repayment.

The public sector too has requested the government to increase the currently approved solar loan amount from Rs 350,000 to Rs 1 million. Having understood the benefits of using solar systems to generate electricity, there is a high demand for installing solar system among the residents of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Jaffna, Mannar and Trincomalee. In addition with the encouragement and awareness created by the government, people are showing greater interest to make their roofs an eco-friendly power generating system that would turnout as a profitable investment as time goes on. But with issues arising in financial funding, the business community, public sector and the general public are now appealing to the banks to relax their terms and conditions in obtaining solar loans and introduce alternative methods for funding, as it would give them a relief from shouldering huge investments and ease the pressure in their day to day living.

Solar power electricity channeled to the electricity meter.

According to bank officials at branches of National Savings Bank in Anuradhapura, the public and businesses in and around Anuradhapura are extremely interested in installing roof-top solar power systems.

The Regional electrical engineer in-charge of CEB for Anuradhapura area too confirmed that they have paid Rs 22 per unit for all the additional units generated being exported to the national grid after catering to the domestic use of the consumers by their roof-top solar systems.

“I have obtained a roof-top solar system from Sunleaf Solar Solution (Pvt) Ltd. and fixed UKSOL British panels on my roof. It is a real advantage to get 30 years British warranty for the panels and I am relieved to get a high quality product for such an affordable price. I used to pay more than Rs.25,000/- per month for my electricity bill. But now I have no electricity bill to pay on monthly basis which means my electricity bill is zero”, said a consumer who had recently installed a solar power panel in the area.

I installed a 5 kw solar system on my roof for ready cash, and soon after, my monthly burden was relieved. The Sunleaf Solar Company expected that it will produce 20 units per day, but with direct sunlight in Anuradhapura, the system produces 23 units per day which is really good news for me. This is a very positive and much needed project for the country. This solar power system by Sunleaf Solar Solution (Pvt) Ltd. is a much needed and profitable project to the Electricity Board, the customers and for the country as a whole, he continued.

With the intention of promoting greater number of customers to export electricity to the national grid with the solar systems on their household roofs, the government has excused them from obtaining a permit to generate electricity.

This new decision enables any person to fix a solar system on their roof and generate and sell electricity to the national grid without a permit. Under this project, any owner of a valid electricity account can sell the generated electricity to the national grid under any scheme of Net Metering, Net Accounting or Net Plus. The Government expects to meet the required demand for electricity during day time through electricity generated by the domestic solar power plants by promoting these solar power systems among customers and thus reduce the environmental pollution and higher expenditure incurred for fossil fuel power generation.