Prevailing dry weather boosts solar energy output

By Huzefa Aliasger

Colombo, Feb 22 (Daily Mirror) - The output of solar energy has increased due to the high level of sunlight in the country, and if the trend continues, the national grid will find it difficult to support it, an official said yesterday.

Sri Lanka currently facing dry conditions and increased temperatures in the coming months will impact energy levels as energy contributed by solar panels will increase.

This could be highly cost-effective however if this continues to increase the load on the national grid will be too much to support which could lead to risks of a breakdown, media spokesman for the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) Dammike Wimalaratne said.

Mr. Wimalaratne told the Daily Mirror that investments on grid support are necessary for the prevention of another blackout. “Around 1,400 to 1,500 megawatts of energy is currently coming in from solar energy.”

Under normal circumstances, it remains at 1,000 megawatts.

Dhammike further mentioned that immediate investments include a US$150 million loan agreement from the Asian Development Bank aimed at improving grid reliability and enabling the integration of large-scale renewable energy projects into the national grid as well as establishing a new renewable energy monitoring desk.

“We have had renewable energy resources but no proper mechanism to manage it, therefore we are establishing a renewable energy monitoring desk dedicated to monitoring and handling renewable energy,” Dhammike said.

In a media release by the CEB, Sri Lanka advances towards its first “water battery” – Maha Oya pumped hydropower project which will produce 600 MW which will store excess renewable energy from solar and wind sources and will generate 70% of electricity from renewable resources by 2030.