RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES IN SRI LANKA (Source _ SEA website)

Due to the geo-climatic conditions, Sri Lanka is blessed with several forms of energy resources. Sri Lanka is an island located in the tropics and surrounded by the Indian Ocean. The island receives rain from two monsoonal wind regimes, viz., the Southwest and Northeast monsoons. The island itself is characterised by a central highland, lowland mountain ranges, flat terrains and plateaus, which affect cloud formation. The annual mean rainfall ranges from 750 to 5000mm, which in turn sources a perennial river system. Sri Lanka

The high rainfall, coupled with other bioclimatic conditions of the tropics, has yielded a high plant density in the island. Biomass therefore, is available in plenty. Since Sri Lanka is located in the equatorial belt, it receives a year round supply of solar irradiation. Sri Lanka

The tropical temperatures and the islands location in the ocean have resulted in distinct wind regimes. These settings have endowed the country with an ample RE resource base. Some of these RE resources are widely used and developed to supply the energy requirements of the country. Others have the potential for development when the technologies become mature and economically feasible for use. Sri Lanka

Following are the main RE resources available in Sri Lanka. Biomass Hydro Power Solar Wind Renewable Energy in Sri Lanka

Power Sector and NCRE Sri Lanka’s power sector is heavily dependent on hydro power. All these hydro schemes were major power generation projects and they are also known as ‘conventional’ power generation schemes since they have been around for quite a long time. Other means of generating power, among which the grid connection of small hydros, wind power generation schemes and solar projects are receiving much attention are termed non-conventional renewable energy (NCRE) technologies, because they were not used in the past in conventional grid power generation.

POLICY TARGETS The Government envisages reaching a 100% target in country-wide electrification by The growing electricity demand could be met only by adding adequate generation capacities, employing the most appropriate technologies in the most economical manner. However, the present energy resources in Sri Lanka fail to meet these criteria and therefore, the need for several resources or an energy mix arises. The Ministry of Power and Energy has formulated the National Energy Policies and Strategies of Sri Lanka (2008) which envisages the gradual increase of non-conventional renewable energy resources to provide the right mix to generate electricity, as summarised in Table below.

Generation mix proposed by the National Energy Policies and Strategies (2008) Year Conventional Hydrolytic (%) Maximum from Oil (%)Coal (%) Minimum from non- conventional renewable energy (%)

Biomass The Government has also recognised the need to elevate biomass as both a commercial crop as well as the third fuel option for electricity generation and has accordingly declared Gliricedia sepium as the fourth plantation crop after tea, rubber and coconut in Biofuels as an important constituent of the transport energy will be developed to take a 20 % share by 2020.

RENEWABLE ENERGY FORECAST The SEA proposes the following sector-based RE development targets to meet the policy target of generating 10% of power from non-conventional RE resources by 2015.

Capacity Addition from NCRE Sources Cumulative RE Capacity Additions (MW) YearBiomassHydroWindOtherTotal%Energy