Renewable energy rally

By Cheranka Mendis

Sri Lanka will be powered by 20% renewable energy in 10 years when the demand for power doubles from the current level.

Minister of Power and Energy Champika Ranawaka stated yesterday that the target was to produce renewable energy to match 20% of the total demand for energy by 2020.

He asserted that the Ministry had projected the demand to reach 5,000 megawatts from the present 2,000 megawatts. From the anticipated 5,000 megawatts, 1,000 will be resourced from wind power, biomass, solar power and micro power sources.

“The plan is to increase the usage of these renewable energy sources considerably by 2020,” Ranawaka said. “We have estimated the increases after studying the patterns and analysing the future benefits of the current projects that are now underway.”

Accordingly, micro power will generate 500 megawatts of power while wind power, which at present generates only 30 megawatts, will be increased to 650 by 2020. “The short-term target is to increase wind power to 90 megawatts by the end of this year,” he said. Solar power and biomass, which generate 1.25 megawatts and 10 megawatts respectively, will up production to reach 150 megawatts by 2020.

He asserted that proper awareness on the looming global power and energy crisis must be created among the masses on how to live in a world where oil resources are scarce or inexistent.

“In the next 40 years, i.e. by 2050, all fuel resources of the world comprising of petrol, diesel and kerosene will be over,” Ranawaka said. “By 2030 building of oil power stations will be done and over with. Oil will become an important resource with special or premium value. To live in a world with very short supply of what is considered the most important energy source, we must prepare ourselves from now.”

Gas, which is of high demand as at now, will be extinct in 60-70 years, while coal will die out by the end of this century.

He also stated that according to a systemic survey conducted in Sri Lanka in 2004 from the Mannar to Unawatuna stretch, it had been discovered that there were gas and oil reserves in the local sea bed. It is estimated that the area holds some nine billion barrels worth of oil. However, the number is not confirmed.

“It has also been identified that there is trapped methane in the marshy beds in the areas of Muthurajawela and Muneshwara,” the Minister revealed. “Along with the fear of extinction of the major energy sources of the world – fuel, gas and coal – now there are environmental changes that challenge future growth.”

Management and implementation of eco energy is therefore a key focus in the world today. “The importance of eco or green energy has been identified world over and we are keen to adapt this in Sri Lanka as well. We have started a programme for energy auditing in Government institutions in the country and will soon take it forward to other sectors as well,” he asserted.

Ranawaka acknowledged that while powering the local energy grid with 20% of renewable energy was one target of the Ministry, the other was to provide electricity to every part of the country. To reach the 100% mark, power generation projects had been implemented and accelerated, he said.

It has been identified that 4,500 transformers are needed to power 4,500 villages in the country. Iran has agreed to provide 1,000 of these, but due to restrictions and sanctions imposed by the West on trade with Iran, the project has been monetarily haltered.

“According to our research, 5% of the population cannot be connected to the major power grid of the country. Therefore, under a project titled ‘Shrama-Shakthi,’ we aim at providing this 5% with electricity via renewable energy.”

The 5% includes those living in remote hillside villages, certain plantations and other environmentally-sensitive areas. Islands such as Kalpitiya and others in the northern sector are also included. The 5% covers over 1.3 million families, he said.