Sunpower-gri connect SL’S only 1.2MW installation...
Sunpower-gri connect SL’S only 1.2MW installation under HV Metering solar procedure Sunpower Renewables (Pvt.) Ltd, incorporated in 1987 and a trailblazer in the energy management and power generation sector in Sri Lanka, has added yet another first to its long list of achievements by becoming the first and only megawatt installation company to connect on the recently introduced Solar Code by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) in Sri Lanka.
Global Rubber Industries (GRI), a leading producer of specialty tyres in Sri Lanka, reinforced its commitment to sustainability and environmental protection by installing one of the largest rooftop solar systems in the country.
With a capacity of 1,200kw (1.2MW), the solar panels are expected to generate 136,557kwh of electricity per month.
“Being technically equipped to undertake a complicated installation such as this, together with its 32 years of experience and extensive knowledge in the renewable energy industry, Sunpower Renewables (Pvt.) Ltd was chosen by GRI to install this state-of-the-art solar power system,” said Sunpower Renewables Director/ceo Shammy Rajendra.
Sunpower Renewables commenced the design and construction of the project in late 2018 and completed it in January 2019, paving the way for the testing and commissioning of the system to the national grid. The latest introduction of the solar procedure for HV Metering required several tests to be completed.
The required data needed by the CEB, which included various extensive parameters, was facilitated by Sunpower through
the comprehensive data analysis platform provided by Fronius Austria, the leading inverter manufacturer in the world.
This green initiative spans across a roof area of approximately 90,000 square feet and the environmental impact of this system will help reduce over 1,100 metric tonnes of carbon emissions per annum, which is equivalent to more than 20,000 trees that could absorb CO2 annually. Thus, GRI has successfully taken measures to support the country’s initiative to source 100 percent renewable generated electricity by 2050.
When Sunpower’s solarisation programme in Kurunegala got underway, it successfully powered thousands of households in the Pansiyagama village, as a joint venture between the National Housing and Development Authority and BP Solar Australia, a monumental moment for a country where solar power was virtually non-existent. This led to the largest rural-based solar infrastructure project in the world, making massive breakthroughs in the rural healthcare system with NAPS Finland.
Sunpower is also the company that connected the first 500Kw gridtied solar system in Hambantota as a test project, along with the CEB and Sustainable Energy Authority.
Sunpower also introduced solar technology to power the signalling infrastructure to support the then unpowered railway stations, deprived of grid power for the Sri Lanka Railways.
Sunpower has also designed, supplied and installed large-scale solar rooftop systems at several universities, namely Peradeniya, Jaffna, Moratuwa, Ruhuna and Batticaloa and the Medical Faculty of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, with research and development facilities funded by the Asian Development Bank.
Continuously pioneering the energy sector in Sri Lanka, Sunpower has engaged in the firstever wave energy project with Finland-based AW – Energy, which is ranked number one in the world. It is estimated that wave energy will account for 10 percent of world energy demands in the future, with an investment of US $ 900 billion globally.
“With over 2000 clients and 4000 installations across several sectors, our aim is to unlock Sri Lanka’s potential and harness our strategic position to move forward as a country,” said Director CEO Shammy Rajendra.
“Good ideas and great technology know no boundaries. At Sunpower, we have always believed that whatever the application, Sri Lanka deserves the latest and the best in technology.”