This columnist has time and again stressed the need to save fuel in order to cut down on the massive fuel import bill. While the focus is naturally on fuel usage by vehicles, let’s not forget that a huge quantity of fuel is imported for thermal power generation which now accounts for almost 80 percent of the energy mix. This is not sustainable in the long term as Sri Lanka is a net oil importer. In any case, fossil fuels with the exception of coal and natural gas will run out most probably within our lifetime.
The time has clearly come to think of alternative sources of energy. We already have hydro power, but no more major hydro power projects can be built and the existing ones were under-utilized owing to drought conditions. But, there are two alternatives that will be able to see us through – solar power and wind power. Completely renewable and non-polluting, these promise power till eternity. Sri Lanka is ideally located to take advantage of both sources of power and even ocean wave energy, the latest concept in power generation.
Of these three, it is solar power that has the biggest potential in a tropical country such as Sri Lanka. The Government has accordingly started a “battle for solar power” and provided a series of incentives for those who opt for solar power. Moreover, if one’s home or factory produces extra energy via solar, the excess amount can be sold to the National Grid. Once the initial investment is recovered, power is free for life.
Solar panel
Earlier this week, Sri Lanka’s first Photovoltaic (PV) solar panel factory started production in Katunayake. This is a landmark development that is likely to bring down the cost of solar panels, which are currently imported. Since the installation is still the most expansive part of a solar power set-up, this will make solar power more accessible to more people.
Sri Lanka has joined the solar power revolution just in time - the world invested more in solar power than in all fossil-fuel sources combined last year. Investors and governments installed an all-time record of 157 gigawatts (GW) of renewable capacity, according to a news report from the United Nations. In 2017, the world installed 98 GW of solar capacity – nearly half of which was in China. The net new capacity from fossil fuels was only 70 GW in 2017. Reputed companies such as, Tesla and Nissan are joining the solar revolution. Moreover, 500,000 new jobs were created in the renewable energy sector worldwide last year.
There are other benefits of solar power - Middle Eastern and North African countries could tap into their solar-energy potential to cope with freshwater scarcity, according to experts. Water could be saved by switching to renewable solar energy from fossil fuel electricity generation that uses up water, says the World Resources Institute (WRI).
Governments and investors have noticed a change in the fundamentals behind renewable energy. The cost of energy production through large-scale PV Panels decreased by 15 percent last year to US$ 86 megawatt per hour. This is good news for those contemplating taking the solar power route. However, there is a long way to go. Fossil fuels remain the dominant source of energy on the planet. Only 12 percent of the world’s electricity still comes from renewable energy. This boom in renewable energy has been backed by strong investment in recent years. Sri Lanka too has joined this solar wave and must keep up the momentum.
In our region, we do not have to look far for inspiration on solar power. In March, a vast solar project was launched in southern India. When completed the plant could be the largest solar project in Asia todate as it will span 13 acres and produce 2,000MW – enough to power 700,000 households.
This is just one of many new super-sized solar projects that are springing up throughout the world. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is aiming to reach 100GW of solar energy capacity by 2022, which would be thirty times as much as in 2015.
Further north, Germany is by far the most successful champion of renewable energy - its renewable power production briefly exceeded the entire country’s electricity demand on May 1. Many other countries and regions are taking a stand for solar power – for example, California has decreed that every new house should have a rooftop solar panel from 2020. Sri Lanka too can take a cue from California and make solar rooftops compulsory for all new residential and commercial buildings. Where retrofitting solar panels is a viable option, home owners and commercial building owners must be encouraged to do so.
There is more good news on the solar power front. Scientists are working on a better alternative for silicon, the existing dominant material for solar cells. It is called Perovskite, a combination of calcium, titanium and oxygen in a specific molecular arrangement. Perovskite structures work well as the light-harvesting active layer of a solar cell because they absorb light efficiently but are much cheaper than silicon. Materials made from Perovskite structures could potentially revolutionize solar cell devices. It can also be integrated directly to windows and other structures, further boosting its appeal. The only problem at the moment is that Perovskite is somewhat unstable under intense heat.
However, researchers have managed to overcome this hurdle to a large extent and commercialization could be less than five years away. Solar powered cars could also enter the fray in the two decades, though more research is needed in this area. Some cars already do have solar roof panels that power ancillary electronics and the Air Conditioner.
Viable alternatives
Sri Lanka hopes to generate at least 220 MW from solar power by 2020 and 1,000 MW by 2025, along with rooftop solar installations for 100,000 houses.
While this looks very ambitious, the potential is immense - solar power can meet at least 32 percent of Sri Lanka’s annual power demand of around 10,500 Gigawatts under current projections. But so far just 0.01 percent of that potential has been developed and all types of renewable energy account for only 3-4 percent of the power generated in Sri Lanka. If the fuel price hike (oil prices might rise further owing to the US pullout from the Iran nuclear deal) is any indication, it is time to look for viable alternatives to fossil fuels. With Sri Lanka predicted to face an energy crunch due to the increasing demand for power, the authorities must resolve existing hurdles for solar and other renewables and offer more concessions and incentives for those who opt for renewable sources of energy.