Sri Lanka approves solar-wind hybrid plant
Posted on June 2nd, 2017

modernpowersystems.com

The Sri Lankan government has approved a proposal to develop a large-scale wind-solar hybrid power plant in the north of the country.

The plans comprise the construction of 240 MW of wind energy capacity and 800 MW of solar capacity in three phases. The project is in line with government policy to increase the amount of renewable energy capacity operating on the country’s network, the government said in a statement.

The Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority (SLEA), part of the Ministry of Power and Renewable Energy, has identified the Pooneryn area in northern Sri Lanka as being suitable for wind and solar power development.

Sri Lanka’s government last year unveiled proposals to expand its renewable energy capacity to 972 MW by 2020, up from the current level of 442 MW. As part of the Long-term Generation Expansion Plan, installed renewable energy capacity in 2034 is expected to reach 1897 MW, with wind energy being the dominant technology.

3 Responses to “Sri Lanka approves solar-wind hybrid plant”

  1. Fran Diaz Says:

    Why did the Yahap govt STOP the proposed Solar plant in H’thota by the MR govt ???

  2. Cerberus Says:

    Like to echo Mr. Diaz’s view. When President Mahinda Rajapaksa had plans to have solar plants in Hambantota which were scrapped by the Yahapalanaya Goats and now they are doing it in the North to benefit the Tamils. Everything is being done for the benefit of the Tamils. What is wrong with this Govt? Earlier when MR was in power Mr. Wigneswaran made sure the money given to the Northern province was not utilized to show the Foreigners that the GoSL was mistreating them. Now they have got assistance from the West, India and there is no assistance given to the South and the Sinhalese.

  3. Ananda-USA Says:

    These power projects are designed to benefit the Indians and to buttress their hold on Sri Lanka through investment in Tamil majority areas. Most of the aid from Western countries is also going there, perhaps in a deliberate attempt to punish the Sinhalese majority, just as the British Colonial government did after 1815.

    Having said that, I must also say that there us more wind in the Nothern areas of Sri Lanka on land that is relatively cheap compared to the rest of the country. Solar power is land intensive while Wind Power can be developed on a dual-land-use basis. The problem is that all of this investment is taking place in areas that are THREATENING TO SECEDE from Sri Lanka. There is also a load levelling benefit to the combining solar with wind in that solar power is available during the day while wind power is available during two periods when there is differential warming and cooling of the land and the ocean.

    Solar power is IDEAL for deploy mentioned in the dry areas of the Southeast around Hambantota and the sparsely populated southeast coastline of the country. Alsi, my own measurements showed sufficient wind speeds for wind power production around, but I am aware that a few large wind turbines that were installed there by the CEB were moved to the North West presumably because of inadequate power generation? Wind turbines have to be carefully selected and matched to the prevailing wind climate. They should have low startup speeds and be matched to the wind profile to have the highest efficiency at the most persistent wind speeds.

    Modern large wind turbines (1 to 8 MW each) are massive. Unlike old fi ed-speed of rotation wind turbines that used induction generators tied to the grid power frequency, new turbines operate at variable speeds of rotation, and transform the captured variable frequency energy to grid frequency and voltage conditions using highly efficient solid state inverters. The most efficient wind turbines use Permanent Magnets to generate the magnetic fields within the generators; but they are becoming increasingly expensive because of the rising cost and dearth of Nyodymium and other strong magnetic rare-earth magnetic materials in great demand by other applications, such as drive motors for electric vehicles.

    Wind turbine and solar technologies are a PERFECT TECHNOLOGY for Sri Lanka to develop an INDIGENOUS INDUSTRY based on INDIGENOUS EXPERTISE for deployment at home and abroad, if only we have the VISION and the POLITICAL WILL to make it happen.

    Unfortunately, all that must await the REPLACEMENT of this PARA-GATHI Yamapalanaya by a PATRIOTIC government DEDICATED to transforming Sri Lanka into a TECHNOLOGICAL POWERHOUSE using our own people.

    We have given all of our people a BASIC EDUCATION second to none in South Asia; now we must take the NEXT STEP and transform them into HIGHLY SKILLED SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL & BUSINESS LEADERS!

    PATRIOTISM and LOVE OF OUR OWN PEOPLE will be the KEY to ACHIEVING that TRANSFORMATION and NOT SLAVISHLY GIFTING EVERY OPPORTUNITY in our Motherland to FOREIGNERS!

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