Small actions to conserve energy

THE rains return in the nick of time to save Sri Lanka from another energy crisis. As it is, the excess funds needed for oil imports will hit the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) hard, creating more doubt over whether it can maintain its arduous bid to become the rarest of all rare things in this country – a profit-making State Owned Enterprise.

Most international studies put the lifespan of fossil fuels at 2040. This means that in less than three decades, the world will not only have to have perfected renewable energy sources, it must also have managed to support the massive population that will be on the earth by that point. This is a big task, which interestingly enough, Sri Lanka is focused on doing its part on.

At present only seven per cent of Sri Lanka’s energy is produced in a renewable manner and even though mini hydros are a part of this, it does not come without environmental sacrifice. Solar and wind are other options that are being actively considered by the Government, but they require private sector support to become viable.

One aspect that the industry must focus on is the development of technology, home-grown technology at that, so that the entire value chain is sustainable. To this end, the Power and Energy Ministry is doing good things and the Moratuwa University is pioneering renewable energy research in Sri Lanka. Yet, as with anything that threatens human survival, it seems too little and too slow. Funding is a constraint since the bulk of Government funding and loans are directed towards building coal power plants that to all observations will be obsolete in three decades.

Balancing between conventional energy sources and renewables is a heady challenge made even more difficult by the fact that consumers demand low cost power. It would be unprofitable for the CEB to invest in mini hydros since the cost per unit would be far too great. Therefore, the current modus operandi is for the private sector to invest in mini hydros and for the CEB to purchase power from them.

This is not the panacea to all ills as private sector companies are struggling to find funding and get approval as well as having to pay off provincial councils that are not legally entitled to anything. The CEB sinks further into debt at having to buy electricity and since the companies sell the power to the national grid rather than the community, democratisation of energy, which is one of the key attributes of renewable energy, does not happen.

Solar and wind as well as biomass are all options that are being explored, but it is well known that the capital cost for these renewables are hefty and they do not leave the environment untouched. In fact, wind parks across the world have contributed to decimating birdlife and even driving away humans due to the noise that they generate.

While these schemes are unfolding, there is one thing that the public can do – conserve. Businesses, especially those operating in large buildings, can opt to run on solar energy. All others can reduce their air conditioners, rely more on natural light and take the stairs once in a while to make sure that their responsibilities are carried out. Believe that it works; according to the Renewable Energy Authority in Sri Lanka, the country managed to save building a 380 MW power plant when 50 per cent of consumers shifted to LED bulbs. Such a small action went a long, long way.