It’s not monkey business that made the grid unstable

Thursday, 13 February 2025 03:40 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Solar Industries Association

Solar Industries Association President Javid Kamil

Every time a total grid failure occurs, the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and other stakeholders attribute the instability to excess solar energy. As one of the most renowned industrial associations for solar energy, we would like to raise the following concerns regarding this claim:

1. Long-standing discussions on renewable integration

The integration of Non-Conventional Renewable Energy (NCRE) has been under discussion since 2009—over 15 years ago. The impact of solar energy penetration has been well understood since 2015. Have stakeholders, including the CEB, taken any proactive measures to address these challenges?

2. CEB’s own expansion plans

The expansion of solar energy has been a gradual process since 2016. The CEB publishes a Long-Term Generation Expansion Plan (LTGEP) every two years, outlining projections for decades ahead. Have they overlooked the increasing penetration of NCRE in these plans?

3. Alignment with national policy

The global shift away from fossil fuels has driven successive Governments to adopt policies promoting Renewable Energy (RE) and solar power. Has the CEB completely disregarded these national policy directives?

4. Failure to implement pumped storage hydropower

The LTGEP for 2018-2037 proposed the addition of three 200 MW Pumped Storage Hydropower plants, with the first unit expected to be operational by 2025. Is there any realistic chance that this unit will be operational by the end of this year? If it were, grid instability could be significantly mitigated.

5. Lack of incentives for energy storage

Has the CEB ever proposed a feasible tariff structure for energy storage solutions for domestic, commercial, and industrial users? Such a policy would enable excess solar energy to be stored and utilised when demand is high, reducing instability.

The integration of solar energy has been a national policy decision for the past two decades, and the private sector has responded effectively, making substantial contributions. This emerging industry has created over 40,000 direct jobs.

However, despite the private sector’s efforts, stakeholders—including the CEB—have neglected critical measures necessary for grid stability:

1. Delayed pumped storage implementation

The 200 MW Pumped Storage Hydropower plant originally planned for 2025 has now been postponed to 2029.

2. Lack of incentives for storage

There has been no introduction of an attractive feed-in tariff for energy storage systems.

At present, one of the key challenges is the reduction in energy demand during peak-sun hours on Sundays and public holidays when industrial activity is minimal. This issue affects 77 days annually—comprising 52 Sundays and 25 public holidays. The peak-sun period lasts approximately four hours, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Consequently, the total number of challenging hours per year is just 3.5% of the total annual hours.

Instead of penalising solar energy prosumers, we urge stakeholders to address this 3.5% of challenging hours by facilitating energy storage solutions. Proactive measures, rather than blame, will ensure a stable and resilient national grid.

Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event including Valentine ’s Day. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Flower Bouquets, Clothing, Watches, Lingerie, Gift Sets and Jewellery. Also if you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.