Point of View

We've got the power

Solar energy can fuel the country's development

Dr. I. M. Dharmadasa

Whether it be to pump water to ir rigate crops or to produce light in the home; the potential of the sun's energy to Sri Lanka's development is rapidly being realised. Solar energy provides clean, renewable energy without creating noise pollution or harmful gases, as do most conventional fuels.

However, it's real benefit to Sri Lanka is that once the panels are purchased, all electricity created is free.

Solar energy consists of two major energy components, heat and light. These energies can be harnessed using established techniques like solar thermal collectors, solar chimneys and photovoltaics. The first two methods use heat energy from the sun and use this energy to provide hot water or produce electricity.

The requirement of hot water in Sri Lanka is minimal and therefore solar thermal collectors have limited applications. However, the production of electricity through photovoltaic (PV) technology provides the most promising and suitable method for the country.

A large fraction of the Sri Lankan community has no access to electricity from the national grid. This is where PV technology emerges as the main long term solution. At least 80% of Sri Lanka's present energy comes from hydroelectricity (a renewable energy source) and PV technology can complement this power source to fulfil any additional requirements.

Small and self sufficient PV systems will reach every corner of the country to provide energy for various applications. Solar lanterns, solar home systems, street lights, telephones, power for handicrafts, power for food processing, battery charge stations, health centres, drinking water pumps and irrigation water pumps are some of the applications relevant to Sri Lanka.

Among these applications, two of the most attractive ones for immediate use are solar home systems (figure 1) and irrigation water pumps (figure 2).

There are at least two and half million homes in Sri Lanka needing electrification. It is encouraging to see over 5000 PV systems have already been installed successfully during the past few years by local solar companies and non governmental organisations like Sarvodaya. The smallest PV systems are affordable for many rural families and the monthly payment is about Rs. 200 when the cost is spread over a period of about 8 years.

This is cheaper than buying kerosene for lighting and batteries for radios. Most of the PV solar panels can be bought with a 15 year guarantee today and this will improve in the future due to continuous scientific research. The life time of solar panels is improving continuously and will be at least over 20 years soon.

These systems will bring improved lighting, facilities to use radios, cassettes and televisions in every home and provide clean air for breathing and remove the fire risk from kerosene oil lamps. Undoubtedly, this will improve people's health, education and standard of living.

Assuming an average kerosene consumption of one bottle per day per home, the above 5000 systems will reduce the government fuel import bill by 300,000 gallons of kerosene per annum. If the lifetime of these systems is 10 years, the total fuel saving will be 3 million gallons of kerosene.

Irrigation water pumps are even more attractive to Sri Lanka. Solar power can be used to provide the power for pumping water for irrigation. Paddy cultivation, fruit and vegetable farming and animal farming in the surrounding area should be encouraged for a group of families close to the pumping system.

Introduction of organised agriculture and natural animal farming will provide nutritious food such as milk, eggs and meat, and provide a steady supply of organic waste for agriculture use. A well - planned plantation of trees in the area will provide much needed timber for housing and property development, adding to the economic growth of the country.

These improvements of vegetation will help retain the water content of the soil (water management) by preventing rapid evaporation of water due to natural shading from the sun. As the solar powered village runs smoothly and the people settle down with improved facilities, the development can be gradually extended to the surrounding area by adding more solar panels to the existing ones or replicating the "solar village" next to the first one.

Small industries should be encouraged and introduced to produce much needed materials such as bricks and concrete pillars for buildings and fencing. Concrete pillars for fencing will further save the destruction of trees and help improve the environment.

The programmes will create jobs in villages, alleviate poverty, avoid urban migration, improve the environment and contribute towards faster economic growth of the country.

At the present time, PV solar modules have to be imported to the country. Introducing tax incentives and other relevant facilities through the government will undoubtedly accelerate this programme and the potential benefits are immense in agriculture, health, education and environmental issues. We should move in this direction with confidence to hybrid the two renewable energy sources, hydroelectricity and solar energy to help develop Sri Lanka.

The author is a Senior Lecturer in Applied Physics, Sheffield Hallam University. United Kingdom,

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