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Wednesday, 10 July 2019 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Energy sector, especially renewable energy such as solar energy, is an important segment of investment for the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka (BOI). Energy is important for both the public and for economic and industrial development.
Vydexa (Lanka) Power Corporation Ltd. has set up under the BOI a 10 MW solar photovoltaic power plant in Kaththansinnakulam, Vavuniya.
The facility consists of 35,721 numbers of 350 Wp solar photovoltaic (PV) modules established on a land of 54 acres.
The PV modules are fixed on a single-axis tracking system which is capable of tracking the path of the sun throughout the day. This is the first project of this nature established in Sri Lanka and it is using 100% labour from local villages. The facility has therefore played a key role in uplifting the living standard of the people of the region.
Another important factor that needs to be taken into consideration is that this renewable energy project is extremely environmentally-friendly and has resulted in saving 3,800 metric tons of diesel annually to generate the equivalent amount of energy from thermal sources.
Furthermore 16,000 MT of carbon dioxide emission have been cut downannually asa result of the use of solar energy.
In addition as a result of this project, the local infrastructure has also been upgraded including improvements to the road network, street lighting, religious places and even new direct and indirect employment opportunities created.
The solar photovoltaic collectors are normally mounted on a fixed slope in large installations as individual collectors to track the sun throughout the day and year. Tracking of the sun is continuous.
Solar Farms are generally set up on barren or unutilised lands. This is an opportunity to put to productive use any excess lands by setting up on such lands, large solar energy facilities. In the Vavuniya facility it was done on a land previously used for gravel excavation.
Solar power offers new options for energy needs for a nation such as Sri Lanka which needs to industrialise in order to develop and create new opportunities for its population without sacrificing its pristine natural environment which is also a national asset in achieving that endeavour.
