Lets turn to the Sun for sustainable energy - EDITORIAL

With the possible declaration of a state of emergency and the deployment of troops to deal with the effects of the ongoing drought, citizens need to consider ways in which they could co-operate to overcome this national crisis. 
Reports indicate that with the water levels in the hydro-power reservoirs dropping, the supply of electricity in the coming weeks and months may hit a blackout point. Therefore, eco-friendly and responsible citizens need to rise beyond party and other affiliations and reduce the use of electricity, especially during peak hours from 6.30 pm to 10.30 pm. It will be an enlightened act of patriotism and they will be a light to the country. Even better would it be if various organisations – religious, business or other groups and even households -- consider the installation of solar power panels. The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) is offering incentives such as low-interest loans to be deducted in small instalments from the monthly bills. Some private companies are also doing this in collaboration with the CEB and families could get it even for certain sections of their residences.   

As the Minister in charge of environmental affairs, President Maithripala Sirisena has set a bright example by getting solar energy panels installed at the Presidential Secretariat and at his residences in Colombo and Polonnaruwa. The the savings in financial terms alone is reported to be several lakhs. It would be a powerful message and a sacred act for temples and kovils, churches and mosques also to get solar energy panels installed so that there would not only be a saving in terms of money but also a reduction in air pollution.   
According to website reports, two factors are making solar panel installation a better deal for homeowners, tax incentives and the rising cost of electricity from traditional sources. Till now Sri Lanka has been depending most on hydro-power generated by imported fossil fuel and in recent years from coal power. Costs have been rising steadily while air pollution is also increasing. Thus making an investment on solar panels is likely to pay for itself in a short period.   
On top of that, there are tax credits. In an effort to encourage homeowners to go green, the government has offered significant tax credits for installing solar panels as an alternate energy source. We live in a tropical island where we have about 12 hours of solar energy every day. So far most people have not made use of this but now – with a climate change and environmental catastrophe looming -- we need to turn to the sun for a sustainable source of energy at a much lower cost to ourselves and the environment.   

According to a study done in the United States, an energy efficient fridge will use about 350 KWh a year, at an average utility cost of $0.12 a watt, that’s less than $50 a year, while a large plasma screen TV can use as much as 700 KWh a year, about $100 a year. But those costs are not expected to stay steady – remember that electricity costs are on the rise and the use of electricity probably is too.   
If a 3 KWh system is installed, the system would create 450 KWh, a month -- about half of the monthly electricity bill. Estimating that bill at $100, the initial investment will save about $50 a month for the life of the solar panel system. These figures are about the same in Sri Lanka. We hope the Power and Energy Ministry works out the savinsg and gives it wide publicity in the media to attract more solar panels.