Solar Industries Association elects new president and office bearers at AGM

• Embarks on “Reset. Restart. Refocus” to reach greater heights

President Eng. Asanka Tennakoon

Secretary Eng. Roshane Perera

Vice President Eng. Kushan Jayasuriya

The Annual General Meeting of the premier solar industry association, known as Solar Industries Association (SIA), was held in Colombo recently on a grand scale where new office bearers were elected for the upcoming year. 

The meeting concluded with the appointment of key office-bearers and the selection of the committee members by the respective office-bearers.

The Solar Industries Association is the premier solar industry association in Sri Lanka, serving the industry for over two decades. The association was formed by well-known pioneering solar industrialists namely Eng. Pradeep Jayawardena, Eng. Lakshman Jayasuriya and Dr. Priyantha Wijesooriya. The Solar Industries Association holds the majority stakes in the solar energy sector in Sri Lanka and was instrumental in launching many energy projects reaching thousands of rural households to the modern-day solar energy concepts that feed energy to the national grid. 

The association acts as the premier industry representation group for over 20 years in promoting the solar energy industry in Sri Lanka consisting of installers known as EPCs, Developers in both roof and ground-mounted projects and Investors.

Eng. Asanka Tennakoon, who was appointed as the President of SIA for the year 2022/23, brings new leadership to the Solar Industries Association with a vision to develop the local renewable energy industry using a direct approach to engage with stakeholders and members. Asanka is a board member of one of the leading companies in Sri Lanka and an expert in Solar Energy Technologies. He holds B.Sc. Engineering (Hons) in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the University of Peradeniya and also a Masters of Engineering from the University of East London. 

He is a pioneering personality in implementing the modern-day net-metering concept and his speciality includes energy storage systems in both ground and roof mounted arena. Furthermore, he has implemented landmark projects in the mini-grid systems of Sri Lanka. Asanka brings in over a decade of experience to the association with his understanding of the technological and commercial aspects of the industry. He is optimistic that the solar industry will continue to grow many folds in the coming years.

Eng. Roshane Perera, who possesses extensive experience in Solar PV in Sri Lanka, was elected as the Hon. Secretary of SIA for the year 2022/2023. He has contributed to the installation of over 140 MW of solar projects in Sri Lanka. Roshane has worked for many renowned organizations in Sri Lanka and Switzerland and he is a board member of one of the leading engineering services companies in Sri Lanka. Roshane holds a Master of Science in Sustainable Energy Systems from the University of London, UK and B.Sc. Engineering (Hons) in Electrical Engineering from the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka. He is also an Associate Member of the Institute of Engineers, Sri Lanka.

Former SIA President Eng. Kushan Jayasuriya, who was elected as the Vice President is a well-known personality in the solar industry and an engineer by profession with almost two decades of experience. He holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Engineering and is a Chartered Engineer by profession in the Engineering Council of Sri Lanka and the Engineering Council of the UK. He has been involved in the Solar Industries Association for over 10 years, and he is one of the pioneers in both hot water and electricity industry systems in Sri Lanka. Furthermore, he is a member of the board of directors of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Sri Lanka with a wealth of experience in implementing local and foreign projects and technical administrative skills which contributes to the industry. 

Eng. Sivagnanam Sanjeevan was elected as the Treasurer of SIA for the year 2022/23. Sanjeewan is a graduate of the National University of Singapore with seven years of experience in the solar industry.

The newly appointed working committee of SIA for the year 2022/23 comprises six members: S. Manoharan, Wikum Wijesinghe, Bandula Ranasinghe, Pathmanatha Poddiwala, Rohitha Abeykoon and Dinesh Perera.