Sri Lanka is looking to save 1,290 Gigawatts of electricity by implanting a series of new energy saving technology solutions by 2025, said Chairman, Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority (SLSEA) Ranjith Sepala yesterday. He was making the keynote address at a conference hosted by AHK Trade Mission to Sri Lanka comprising eight German companies who have expressed strong interest in the Sri Lankan energy market.
Sri Lanka annually spends around USD 4 billion to import fuel and while looking at renewable Energy (RE) sources to reduce this bill like moving to other energy generating sources. “We appeal to German companies to come forward and get involved in proving these solutions,” he said.
“Sri Lanka mainly depends on petroleum resources for energy needs. However, Sri Lanka is very keen on developing indigenous energy to cut down foreign exchange expenditure on energy resource imports. Sri Lanka is a renewable energy rich country, and RE has a good resource potential to cater to the energy needs of the country and we seek new technology for this especially from Germany for electricity generation.”
“We are planning for many alternative generation projects which would generate around a total of 167,600 MW. These ‘Estimated Resource Potential’ would be from: Solar Rooftop; 100,000 MW, From Solar power (land-based) 35,000 MW, From Solar power (floating) 2,500 MW, From Wind power 9,000 MW, From Wind Off-shore, 20,000 MW, From Biomass MW. 700 From large hydro Around 200 MW and from Small hydro Around 200 MW.
Some of the ongoing and planned projects in the Pipeline from 2021 to 2024 are: Wind: More than 600 MW. Mannar phase II: 100 MW, Phase Ill: 100 MW, Pooneryn: 240 MW. Some of the Hydro projects are: Uma Oya 122 MW, Broadlands 35 MW, Thalpitigala 15 MW, Moragolla 31 MW, Seethawaka 14 MW and from Small hydro 500 MW.
He disclosed that they are also looking at installing solar panels on the Mahaweli Reservoirs for which they are looking at foreign investments. State Minister of Solar, Wind and Hydro, Duminda Dissanayake, said that currently 98% of Sri Lankan households have electricity and this is one of the highest in South Asia. “We will increase this to 100% by the end of this year,” he said.
With rapid development, increased industrial activity, urbanization and other reasons the 100% dependency on Hydro energy in Sri Lanka was lost as we had to seek ‘fuels’ to power our nation. “With new technology on the horizon we are seriously looking at alternative energy to reduce our import fuel bill and also meet the growing 5% annual demand. For this we seek German and other foreign investments to come up and invest with new technology.”
The event was also attended by German Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Holger Seubert and Chief Delegate of German Industry and Commerce in Sri Lanka Andreas Hergenröther.
