In September 2016, The Ministry of Power and Renewable
Energy Authority introduced a new scheme to encourage the use of solar energy in Sri Lanka through the Surya Bala Sangramaya which literally
translates to Battle for Solar Energy. In a highly felicitated event, Admo Solar became the first solar company in Sri Lanka to implement the Net
Accounting System in the country.
Prior to the introduction of net accounting, the net metering
system allowed customers of solar energy to redirect the excessive energy
generated to the national grid. Consumers could thus bank the electricity for
nearly ten years and use it later at convenience as and when required.
Net accounting was introduced in contrast to net metering.
The excess energy produced by the consumer will be redirected to the national
grid and the Ceylon Electricity Board will pay at the rate of Rs. 22 per unit
in the first seven years. Following this, the consumer will be paid at the rate
of Rs. 15.50 per unit the eighth year onwards for a period of 20 years for
every unit of energy contribute towards the national grid. Thus, it promises to
be a revenue generating venture for the consumer who will be enabled through
the program to become producers of energy as well.
Through this scheme, as stipulated under the Surya Bala
Sangramaya, it proposes the installation of 1,000,000 small rooftop solar
panels to power residential, industrial, commercial, and religious places with
the intention of making a major impact in the field of sustainable energy.
Further, it looks towards supporting twenty-percent of the families from the
lower-income sector in self-employment ventures.
With the new development, the country looks towards
embarking on a new venture in becoming energy independent and gradually
decreasing its dependency on the international market to meet the demand for
its energy needs. Thus this venture looks into a future of furthering economic
sustainability through the use of sustainable energy. The program has several
benefits to the country as a whole as it can contribute towards lowering the
carbon dioxide emission and create several direct and indirect opportunities
through powering small and large scale industries using solar power.
