‘Blowing in the wind’
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In the early 1990s, there was an enterprising group of Sri Lankans who helped install small solar power units in the homes of farmers, paving the way for their children to study at night. The group was also involved in a solar project financially backed by a multilateral agency to help dozens of farmers to whom this low-cost, subsidized power unit sticking out of their rooftops, was an out-of-this world development. The group later sold its interests to the multinational, Shell Company.It was also a time when there were crippling power-cuts owing to a prolonged drought, during the tenure of Anuruddha Ratwatte who was Power and Energy Minister, with the country depending on hydro power, long before gas turbines and other energy sources came into being.
Some of these solar power units were also offered to private households at around Rs. 18,000 (a princely sum then) to light up just 3 bulbs! I was reminded of this era when I got a call on Thursday morning from ‘Dosai’ Danny, my verti-clad friend from Trincomalee.
“Hello, how are you my friend,” he asked cheerfully. “Fine, fine… nice to talk to you after a long time,” I replied.
“I thought of you when I read a recent news item where the Prime Minister, when opening Sri Lanka’s largest wind power plant at Mannar this week, had said that in future 70 per cent of power will come from renewable energy,” he said, adding that it was interesting as he (‘Dosai’) had completed paying a loan he had taken to install a solar power unit.
“Now, my power is virtually free,” he said, explaining that he invested, through a loan from a bank, in a state project where solar power in homes is fed to the national grid and gives you credits. For example, if the solar power unit generates Rs. 18,000 worth of national grid power, then payment (of that same amount) to the state power provider (Ceylon Electricity Board – CEB) is zero.
The Rs.1 million loan that he took to install the solar power unit required a monthly payment of Rs. 18,000. So instead of paying the CEB for his power, enough electricity was generated through the solar power unit to give him credit worth Rs. 18,000 and that money was used to pay the loan. Last month, he completed the loan repayments. “Now my electricity is free,” he said.
As I listened to his interesting story, I was distracted for a few moments by a commotion at the gate. Aldoris, the choon-paan karaya, had come but sans his catchy tune. “Mokada, sadda neththe, sindu ko (Why is there silence, where’s the music),” asked Serapina. “Aney Missi, battery behela ne (Aney Missi, the battery is down),” he replied. “Ei oya surya grahana battery ganne neththe (Why don’t you try a solar power battery),” asked Mabel Rasthiyadu.
“Mokakda, mokakda. Ehema battery thiyenawada (What is that? Are there such batteries?),” asked Kussi Amma Sera. “Ow, thiyenawa (Yes, there are),” said Mabel Rasthiyadu, proud that she was able to share some new knowledge with her friends.
I moved away and ended my conversation with ‘Dosai’ Danny after discussing a range of topics, largely connected to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Energy is a touchy subject in Sri Lanka. Last week’s decision by President’s Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundera, one of the most unpopular officials in the current administration, directing Treasury Secretary Sajith Attygalle to call for the resignation of members of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) and to hand over such powers to the Consumer Affairs Authority, drew a storm of protests. This is not the first time Dr. Jayasundera has made a dubious decision in the current administration; calling for the resignations of two members of the Central Bank’s Monetary Board, clashing with deputy governors at the Central Bank and two heads of state institutions stepping down in protest, being some examples. Latest reports indicate that the PUCSL is likely to continue with new members being appointed.
If Sri Lanka is to meet 70 per cent of its power from renewable energy, the answer is solar and wind power. The PUCSL acted as a barrier between the CEB and the public in the generation of new energy and the fixing of tariffs to ensure the public paid affordable rates. The CEB, which has reported losses for many years, largely because state institutions failed to settle their dues, often had to increase prices to cover these losses.
According to one report in 2001, the CEB which registered profits of over four billion rupees in 2000, ran up losses of Rs. 3.9 billion, with the losses expected to rise to Rs. 18 billion by the end of 2001! Now the losses would have increased.
Last year, traditional hydro-power generation fell to 23.8 per cent (compared to 33.5 per cent in 2018) of total power produced in the country. Other sources were coal (33.8 per cent), fuel oil (31.6 per cent) and non-conventional renewable energy (NCRE – 10.8 per cent).
With approximately 80 per cent of the Sri Lankan population living in villages and their livelihood depending on agricultural products, renewable energy – spoken of for many years now – is the way forward. For these reasons, a renewed campaign towards the use of solar power which my friend ‘Dosai’ Danny found was a solid investment decision, is what the government should be doing. There has been many initiatives by the private sector in installing large-scale solar power units in factories which meet all the requirements.
The next level of development would be transforming solar-power units to generate power for the household itself, instead of feeding the national grid. In such a case, solar-powered homes would continue to have power if and when there is a power-cut in that area.
According to an ADB December 2019 report, the target capacity of rooftop solar is 200 MW by 2020. The exploitable wind power potential is estimated to be 5,600 MW, of which about 130 MW have been developed, with a further 130 MW under construction, it said. This means there is huge potential also for wind power in the country.
As I sipped my second mug of tea amidst strong winds outside, Kussi Amma Sera, while leaving the room, commented: “Thada sulang ada, Sir (Strong winds, today Sir).” Acknowledging her comment, I thought to myself that the “blowing in the wind (like that great Bob Dylan song)” could be productively channelled to ensure cheaper energy for Sri Lankans.