SL renewable energy players move overseas
Local renewable energy players are gradually shifting their projects to Africa or altogether stalling the current projects as they lose interest in pursuing business in the country – at a time when President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has instructed officials to immediately implement projects in the pipeline.
“Sri Lanka renewable energy players have gained good experience and skills over the last two decades. It is a pity attitudes of our bureaucrats are now driving them away to other countries and we as a country stand to lose. Some are now working on big projects in other developing countries and losing interest in further development in Sri Lanka due to payments delays by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and the CEB’s lack of understanding of commercial viability which attracts investors,” Reyaz Sangani, CEO/Director Vidullanka told the Business Times.
Kushan Jayasurya, President – Solar Industries Association and Director Alpha Solar Energy Systems Pvt Ltd told the Business Times that renewable energy specialists have started to migrate, and these are experts who can compete globally. “With companies not getting paid for their energy and with the dollar crisis not taken into account companies have no option but to move out and it’s happening as we speak.”
Mr. Sangani, referring to the recent media reports on a meeting President Rajapaksa had with experts in the power sector on May 27 focusing to increase renewable energy supply to the national grid, pointed out that it was with state officials and there wasn’t a single person who has had hands-on experience of developing a single renewable energy project, present. “The expert in a particular field to qualify as experts should at least have some hands-on experience developing a renewable energy project. People who are passing papers cannot and will not understand ground reality and challenges in developing projects. Without understanding ground reality how it can be possible to chart a strategy for renewable energy development?”
He added that these meetings are nothing but a waste of time. “As reported the many points discussed nothing but the commercial aspects. In the last few months commercial aspects have all changed and efforts made at these meetings to chart the future of renewable energy while being blind to changes in commercial aspects are not going to bear any fruits. There seems to be no statistics discussed. For example, if statistics are looked at it will become very apparent that rooftop solar getting implemented about 10 MW per month last year amidst the pandemic has today fallen to about 2 MW per month and is declining further. No statistics were presented so nobody is aware of the reality and discussions are like in ivory towers. It is also sad the President with such a great vision to add 70 per cent renewable energy to the national grid has not given a single meeting to any of the renewable energy associations from the time he took office after many letters have been sent requesting for a meeting.”
He said the developers are very skeptical that such an approach can help to develop renewable energy in this country and pretty soon all the experienced renewable energy developers will start exploring for a project overseas. “It is now very visible many developers like WindForce, Vidullanka, Ecopower are establishing themselves as strong players in the African region. And very soon many other developers will follow at the cost of making our country a green nation.”
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