Sri Lanka targets slashing industrial power use by 10%

Sri Lanka is on a drive to reduce manufacturing costs by slashing industry power consumption. “I am pleased to announce that My Ministry has implemented a much needed industry grade energy efficiencies at factory level, using the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model. We are targeting to reduce industrial energy consumption by 10% initially,” said Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen on 14 June.

Minister Bathiudeen was addressing the inaugural event of ‘Power Sri Lanka International Expo 2012’ at Sri Lanka Exhibition and Convention Centre in Colombo. The event, which is endorsed as Sri Lanka’s Int’l Exhibition on power generation and transmission, PV power, energy and renewable energy and has strong Indian private sector presence, is a combine of three concurrent events into one - Renewable Energy Solutions, Solar Photo Voltaic Power Generation and Electric Power Equipment and Technology.

According to the organisers of the event, the event is a B2B platform for the entire power and energy industry of Sri Lanka including Sri Lankan industry stakeholders, to see the latest technologies and innovations in the power generation and energy sector thus delivering a networking opportunity. The event can also help to establish business contacts and get face-to-face and interact directly with the visiting trade delegations, industrialists, importers, distributors, and agencies. Sri Lanka is one of the three countries where this event is held annually-the other two being Bangladesh and Indonesia. Among the int’l and local firms taking part are LeyPower (Ashok Leyland-gensets), Alpha Thermal Systems (solar hot water solutions), Malco Power (power plant operations), Vikram Solar (high efficiency PV modules), FG Wilson (gen-sets), and Browns (power generation and power systems). Among the institutions taking part are the Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau. The themes include Solar Thermal utilisation, Wind, Hydrogen and Fuel Cell, Biomass, Geothermal, Marine Energy, Carbon Management and Environment preservation.  

Addressing the latest World Bank/Bloomberg data on Global Renewable Power, Minister Bathiudeen said: “The Government is in the process of developing several districts that have been devastated by the three decades of war. With these regions coming to national grid, our energy demand has increased. This is a timely event since it coincides with this week’s release of latest global trends in renewable energy investment data released by the World Bank in association with Bloomberg. Accordingly, global investment in the renewable energy sector increased by 17% to $ 257 billion which is a six-fold increase in comparison to 2004 investments. This clearly shows the future trend of energy, which is renewable. It’s time for alternative energy,” Minister Bathiudeen said.

Discussing Sri Lanka’s power sector, Minister Bathiudeen said: “I am given to understand that the Power and Energy Ministry is way ahead of the target of achieving 100 per cent electrification by end of this year.  I commend our Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka for his efforts in this regard.”

 Minister Bathiudeen added: “Sri Lanka has a total installed electricity capacity of about 2,700 mega watts of which 49.5% is Thermal power and 50.5% is hydro power. 5% of FDI received in 2011 went to the power sector. As the country develops, Sri Lankan energy use per capita which stood at 318 kilo grams per person in 1989 too has increased to 449 kilo grams per person by 2009. With the increasing demand, total primary energy requirement is expected to increase to about 15,000 kilo-tons oil equivalent by the year 2020 at an average annual growth rate of about 3%.  These numbers signify that energy use has increased across all sectors in the country including commercial, manufacturing, transportation and domestic. A total of 48000 industrial power connections were active in 2010 and power demand for industries only from Ceylon Electricity Board increased by 14% while Lanka Electricity Company separately reported 10.1% demand growth from industries. Starting December 2011 and with a $ 39500 investment, My Ministry has implemented a much needed industry grade energy efficiencies at factory level, using the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model. We are targeting to reduce industrial energy consumption by 10% initially.” CEMS Group Director, Global Operations S.S Sarwar said: “This is a series of exhibitions we have been organising in Bangladesh, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. This event has been here since 2010.”

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