As the country is highly dependant on imported energy resources,
attention has been focused to develop the resources possible
to be harnessed within the country. Biomass, wind, mini hydro,
etc. are the likely alternative resources in this respect.
However, establishment of the harnessing potential with an
approach integrating the various related aspects is important
for initiating energy projects. Catering to this, a renewable
energy concept paper was developed and the areas in respect
of the development of wind, solar and hydro resources have
been addressed through this. Especially, coordination of activities
related to the organizational support and other structural
support, which can be included as policy level initiatives
were identified.
Dendro
Resource Development
A special effort
was made towards the development of dendro resource as
a potential renewable energy resource in the previous
year through the Cabinet Memorandum on Development of
Dendro Thermal Power Generation presented by the Minister
of Power & Energy. As an outcome of this, an Inter-Ministerial
Working Committee was formed and the Committee carried
out a comprehensive study identifying the policy level
initiatives in line with various aspects related to the
development of Dendro power generation in the country,
in the year 2005. The report of this working committee
was submitted in the same year and strategies needed in
identifying the available resources, the potential and
the mechanisms for harnessing benefits and the measures
for formulation of detailed strategies for development
of biomass energy industry are substantially discussed
in this. The report is available with the ECF as a public
document at present. The following specific areas have
been identified for development in a five year programme.
Grid connected power generation applications
Community based power and CHP based applications
Thermal energy and captive CHP generation for industrial
establishments
Thermal energy and captive CHP generation for small
& rural industries
Sustainable supply of fuelwood for domestic and
commercial cooking energy
Further, the
Committee identified several issues and barriers, which
at present, are hindering the development of the sector
and classified these into five broad areas as follows.
Policy and regulatory issues
Economic and financial issues
Relationships and institutional issues
Acceptability and informational issues
Knowledge and technological issues
An action plan
including recommendations with a view to addressing the
areas of establishment of firm power, elevation of fuelwood
farming, development of technologies, land allocation
criteria, integration of biomass production with other
economic activities, financing of projects, fiscal and
other incentives, enhancement of awareness on technologies,
etc. was developed. One major aspect in line with the
initiatives was integration of biomass power generation
with other related aspects including socio-economic impacts,
which will eventually support towards sustainable development
of the country. Through this initiative, the concept of
dendro thermal technology was interwoven with rural economic
activities by taking measures to introduce dedicated plantation
for energy production.
Wind
Resource Development
Wind is an
energy resource for which proven technologies are applied
in other countries for large-scale power generation
as well as small-scale power generation at off-grid
level. In order to initiate power plant development
using this technology it is necessary that the potential
of this energy resource is identified and also the potential
wind sites are properly located. Identifying this necessity
Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority reviewed the past activities
carried out in line with this by other organizations.
Ceylon Electricity Board has been involved in an earlier
study in this respect, and a meso scale wind resource
map has been developed by National Renewable Energy
Laboratory (NREL) of the United States under a technical
assistance programme of USAID.
In order to facilitate future power plant developers,
ECF expects to carry out long term ground wind speed
measurements in the high potential sites and the relevant
concept paper and procurement procedures were developed
in the year 2005.
