Harnessing alternate energy

The topic of solar power generation in Sri Lanka has surfaced once again with Power and Energy Minister W.D.J. Seneviratne quoted in our Weekend paper the Sunday Observer as saying that steps are under way to harness this cheap source of energy as an answer to the perennial power crisis in the country.

A CEB official was also quoted in the same article as saying that an MOU had been signed with the Indian Government to develop solar power generation.

This talk of developing solar power has now been going on for quite some time under several Governments but nothing seemed to have happened.With the result that we are still depending on thermal power for 65% of the country’s power generation at an astronomical cost.

It goes without saying that the inflated cost of all essential items today is a direct result of disproportionate cost of the electricity component added to them.It is no secret that most foreign investors complain of high electricity costs and in fact some of them have gone to neighbouring countries where power bills are considerably less boosting profitability.

Hence we have to consider developing cheap sources of power generation as a national priority.

All these years the accent has been on costly mega power projects ignoring indigenous sources of power generation for which Sri Lanka has vast potential. For instance solar energy is a resource that is freely available and had the authorities made a determined bid to tap its potential today the country would have been out of the mire from its deep energy crisis and electricity consumers spared ‘shocks’ when receiving their monthly electricity bills.

What we should do, instead of waiting for power projects of long gestation periods to materialise, is to develop energy from natural sources following the example of countries such as India.

Sri Lanka is blessed with ample resources to tap this potential. We have sun in abundance to develop solar energy together with waterfalls and streams to set up mini hydro power projects. Researchers have also discovered another potential energy source from the Haconda or the Endaru leaf which could be easily grown here.

Much has been spoken of recycling garbage as a cheap power generating source. We have not just garbage but garbage mountains hovering over city landscapes. But alas all these have only been confined to grandiose plans with nothing materialising. In typical Lankan fashion we react only when a crisis has hit home.

If only our planners thought of the future and harnessed all available energy sources we would not have been in the plight we are in today.

The fault lies in our planers only thinking of mega power projects ignoring the vast potential of mini schemes which could be set up in villages with the help of the ordinary people and operated by them at less cost.

We often come across enterprising village youth with innovative genius demonstrating the potential of power generation through some indigenous source. But after the media publicity nothing is heard of such individuals. Their talents should be recognised and a helping hand given to realise their full potential.We are not aware how many such individuals with enterprise have faded away with their innovations, at great loss to the country.

At least now the Government should strive to set up power generation schemes from indigenous sources across the villages with each village having it’s own power generating source. Our people in the villages would no doubt rally in such an endeavour the way they mobilised during national crisis such as the Tsunami. It is here that the Provincial Councils can play a major role.

They should strive to get such mini power schemes going in all local government divisions. This way they can make a contribution to the country while justifying their existence on the public purse and rid themselves of the label ‘White elephant’ quite rightly affixed to them by an irate public.

It would be ideal that this topic be put high on the agenda at all the upcoming Provincial Council elections, because the power crisis has today assumed the seriousness of a national problem. Power schemes could be set up with people’s participation with less cost to the treasury. Dilly dallying in looking for alternative energy sources must end. The country cannot afford to rely on costly thermal power indefinitely.

The numerous hydro power schemes now in the pipeline no doubt would help meet the ever increasing electricity demand.

But we should also turn our attention to other sources. Besides, lending agencies such as the ADB which readily funded our power schemes in the past are may find it hard today to oblige due to the global financial crisis. It is time we started thinking in terms of standing on our own vis a vis our energy requirements.