Let us harness the wind for power and stop spending dollars for oil
Posted on October 5th, 2024
By Garvin Karunaratne
I enclose a write up by eesrilanka wordpress.com/2019/04/13/playing with history: on some of my writings.
__________________________________________________________
C2. Buying Power from Multinationals
Garvin Karunaratne recalls his experience of 18 years working in stations like Hambantota as well as in the hilly Districts of Kandy and Nuwara Eliya. He chides the authorities for erecting wind turbines on the coast. He believes that the authorities seem to be working to prove that wind turbines are not suitable for Sri Lanka.
Karunaratne then mentions his vast travel experience and states that the US, Spain Portugal and many more countries have put up wind turbines never at their coastal areas but in their hills. Further he highlights authorities that have noted the vast resources of wind power in Sri Lanka. He urges Sri Lanka to use its wind resources and he actually has requested the State Engineering Corporation engineers who did make long concrete poles to hold the canopy for the Avukana Buddha statue to be enlisted to make the wind turbines. He emphasizes that Sri Lanka can become self sufficient in all its power requirements if only a few hundred wind turbines are constructed and he states that this can be done within a year.
Karunaratne speaks with the broad experience of having worked designing and establishing the Youth Self Employment Programme of Bangladesh in two years, a programme that has created employment for millions of youths, something which even the ILO had failed earlier. He urges and provides many facts showing that wind power holds the magical solution for Sri Lanka.
– www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2019/04/09/buying-power-from-multinationals/
The only item that has to be imported for wind turbines is the turbine mechanism. It will be child’s play for Jinasenas, the makers of reputed Jinasena pumps to make these turbines if called upon.
For full details: Wind Power for Sri Lanka’s Energy Requirements: Godages, 2019 by Garvin Karubnaratne
Anyone who disagrees is requested to visit Spain, where turbines are made in small garages and perched everywhere. Spain even sells electricity to France and earns dollars. All while we allow the winds to rage through at Hayes, at Ramboda, at Madugoda and many many places where on my irrigation inspections I have chided with death facing abnormal wind power.
May we open our eyes wide. I repeat that a few hundred wind turbines can be erected in one year working at the Speed the Land Development Department did work not long ago and we need not import any oil.
Garvin Karunaratne
i