The Sri Lankan government will launch a ‘Battle for Solar Energy’ next month in a move to boost the sustainable power generation in the country.
Deputy Minister of Power and Renewable Energy Ajith P. Perera said the solar power war is scheduled to commence on the 06th of September from the official residence of the President under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena.
Addressing a news conference held at the Ministry of Power and Renewable Energy Friday, the Deputy Minister said the program will be a remarkable turning point in the generation of solar power in the country.
Currently, 50 percent of electricity production in Sri Lanka is done by renewable energy sources and it is expected to increase this percentage to 60 percent in 2020 and to 70 percent in 2030.
Accordingly, it is required to build wind power plants of 600 MW and solar power plants of 3000 MW within the next 10 years.
The ‘Battle for Solar Energy’ (Soorya Bala Sangramaya) program which received the cabinet approval earlier this month will encourage the consumers to join in power generation by installing small solar power plants established on the roof of their houses.
The Ministry expects at least 20 percent of consumers to produce electricity to meet their energy requirement and the government plans to pay for the excess electricity generated by the consumer.
Minister of Power and Renewable Energy Ranjith Siyambalapitiya received the cabinet approval to implement the project within the next 10 years as a national program.
According to Deputy Minister Perera, consumers, who generate the solar power in this manner under this program, will have the opportunity to contribute the excess electricity to the National Power Grid. The Electricity Board is ready to pay 22 rupees for one megawatt of power generated by the consumers.
Deputy Minister Ajith P. Perera said that attention has been drawn to launch a program to provide solar panels under a concessionary loan scheme. Plans are afoot to establish Solar Power Parks.
The first stage of the project will be implemented in the Northern, Southern and Eastern Provinces.