EFL unveils Sri Lanka’s second largest rooftop solar power plant

Mohammed Bilal (Managing Director, HiEnergy Services), Hanif Yusoof (Group CEO of Expolanka Holdings) and Deputy Minister of Power and Energy Ajith P. Perera open EFL’s solar power plant in Wellampitiya

Continuing to deliver on a longstanding commitment to sustainability, EFL opened a solar power plant in Wellampitiya on 16th November. 
The occasion was marked by a special ceremony attended by Deputy Minister of Power and Energy, Ajith P. Perera as chief guest alongside top management of EFL and Expolanka Holdings PLC Group CEO Hanif Yusoof. 
The Minister inaugurated the grid-connected solar PV power plant and commended EFL for taking early steps as a private sector player bringing solutions to Sri Lanka’s energy dilemma. 
With 2326 solar panels installed, the plant is expected to deliver 78,154 kilowatt hours of energy per month. It has an energy production capacity of 651.28 kWp and has been recognized as the second largest rooftop solar power plant in the country. 
This solar power plant connected to the national electrical grid will contribute to reducing Sri Lanka’s dependence on other countries for a consistent supply of petroleum and coal to produce electricity, thus also easing the outflow of foreign exchange from the country. This is among the few such large scale corporate contributions to the country’s energy sector and supports the logistics provider’s bid to instill sustainable practices in both enviroment and operational activities. It will also contribute significantly to reducing the company’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions. 
The state of the art fashion and general cargo warehouse located at the EFL logistics campus is also the first LEED Gold Accredited facility of its kind and follows an ISO 14062 certification which the company obtained for developing a framework to quantify and report on their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. For the community, the company recently completed its yearly Bulb for a Bulb campaign that replaces incandescent lights in households with LED bulbs free-of-charge. 
“Our contribution to solar energy generation is a step forward in what we believe is the direction of the future,” said Saif Yusoof, Managing Director of EFL. “This project ticks all the boxes in our vision for sustainability. We’re also very positive on the outlook for renewable energy in Sri Lanka-as a country we’re very well positioned to harness natural resources for our energy needs.”
Expolanka partnered with HiEnergy Services in delivering the system. HiEnergy is a provider of solar energy solutions with a strong commitment to reducing the electricity dependency of the country on fossil fuels.
 For EFL, the partnership meant that it had first hand insight into the energy concerns of the country and areas that could benefit from a private sector player. 
It was also responding to a call by the Ministry of Power and Renewable Energy for the private sector to contribute to solar power generation in Sri Lanka. Known as Soorya Bala Sangramaya, this project envisions a solar electricity-powered Sri Lanka in the future.