Sri Lanka eyes floating solar projects due to land limitations
Sri Lanka is eying floating solar projects to meet its renewable energy (RE) generation targets due to scarcity of land and hurdles related to land acquisition for land-based power plants, Power and Energy Ministry sources divulged.
The national renewable energy plan aims to develop an additional capacity of 3,867MW of renewable energy targets by 2030.
The Ministry of Power and Energy, Ministry of Irrigation, Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) and electricity sector service providers have taken measures to achieve these targets.
As the country is abundant in renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, hydro, and biomass, this approved plan outlines a target of 4,705MW of solar power, 1825MW of wind power, 195MW of mini-hydro, and 200MW of biomass power.
According to this national plan, the government will utilise 31 identified reservoirs for floating solar power plants, with the potential to generate an additional 3077 MW of electricity.
This innovative approach leverages existing infrastructure and resources to address the country’s growing energy needs, State Minister of Irrigation in charge of the floating solar power programme (utilising reservoirs and tanks) Shasheendra Rajapaksa told the Business Times.
This initiative involving both the Mahaweli Authority and the Irrigation Department, could harness 2524 MW of power from 14
Mahaweli Authority reservoirs and 553 MW from 17 Irrigation Department reservoirs, he disclosed.
The Irrigation Ministry will implement these projects in collaboration with the Ministry of Power and Energy with the aim of enhancing water security and sustainable energy production in Sri Lanka, he said.
Moreover the Sri Lankan Cabinet has announced a power purchase agreement (PPA) for a 700 MW floating solar and 1,500 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) facility in the Killinochchi district.
The government has signed the power supply contract with the United Solar Group of Australia, Minister of Power and Energy, Kanchana Wijesekera said adding that the solar power project will be installed on the surface of the Poonakari Tank in the Killinochchi district, with a Foreign Direct Investment of US$1,727 million.
The project had been awarded to the Australian company in September 2023 with the government reserving $500 million for domestic project components, he added.
In addition, the Ceylon Electricity Board has called for expression of interest (EOI) for 2×100 MW floating solar power plants on the Samanalawewa in November 2023.
Sri Lanka will also launch two floating solar plants with a capacity of 1 MW each in Chandrika Wewa (reservoir) in the Ratnapura district and Kiri-ibban Wewa in the Moneragala district as a pilot project with an 8.63 billion won grant from Korea.