Sri Lanka Makes Big Push for Renewable Energy
21 May 2017
Of Sri Lanka’s 4,000 megawatts (MW) installed electrical capacity, the country generates 550 MW from wind and solar energy sources. That capacity for renewable energy is set to rise as the country makes its big push to build new power plants and transmission lines with India.
India and Sri Lanka are currently in talks to construct undersea power cables between the two countries. The transmission lines could allow for two-way flow of energy and could be built with the help of India’s Power Grid Corporation.
Dr. B.M.S. Batagoda, Secretary, Ministry of Power and Renewable Energy, Sri Lanka, said energy connection would allow Sri Lanka to buy cheaper power from India, while India could benefit once Sri Lanka develops power generation plants in wind-rich Mannar, northwest Sri Lanka.
State-owned utility Ceylon Electricity board is planning to build a 100 MW wind power project in Mannar as part of a 375-MW Asian Development Bank program, which includes a renewable energy dispatch center to forecast and manage generation.
Sri Lanka is also planning to build a 100 MW floating solar power plant on a reservoir and one million rooftop solar plants aggregating to 1 gigawatt in capacity.
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