’Soorya Bala Sangramaya’ should be re-launched as ’Kadinam Soorya Bala Sangramaya’: Solar Industries Assn.

The Solar Industries Association (SIA) today claimed that the government should re-launch the Soorya Bala Sangramaya (Battle for Solar Energy) as Kadinam Soorya Bala Sangramaya (Expedited Battle for Solar Energy) to improve the energy security level of the country.

The President of the Association, Kushan Jayasuriya, said the government should take measures to promote renewable energy as it benefits the environment by reducing carbon emissions.

With the 'electric shock' received recently with the new consumer tariff announced by the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL), the electricity tariff was increased by 75%.

"From a 100% renewable energy-dependent country, running almost entirely on hydroelectricity, Sri Lanka's generation mix had deteriorated to 35% renewable energy, 65% fossil fuel by 2022. The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) did not make any reasonable effort to absorb sufficient amounts of renewable energy into the national grid in spite of clear directives from industry regulators over the past decades, particularly since 2016.

These warnings and advice to increase the renewable energy component in the country's energy mix were ignored and are not reflected in the long-term generation plans of the CEB. The CEB's approach has been short-sighted and it has not established a long-term strategy for the renewable energy sector even today," the chairman said.

The project on establishing rooftop solar systems was introduced by the association to safeguard the country's energy security.

Establishing an average 3kW solar rooftop system in one million households would add 3GW to the national grid. The country will save the US $3 billion if this project continues over the next three years, and it would help to save 6% of the current national debt, the Chairman added. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)

Pix by Pradeep Pathirana