Can Sri Lanka reinvent its energy system?

As global energy systems shift hastily away from the disruptive use of fossil fuels, the current crisis in Sri Lanka presents an opportunity to reinvent the energy system to one that is based on abundant indigenous renewable energy (RE) resources and able to meet the country's growing energy demand [ 2, 12 ].

How can Sri Lanka meet its energy needs?

This research demonstrated how, through a supply of renewables and the use of energy storage, the hourly energy demands of Sri Lanka's power, heat, transport, and desalination sectors can be met in the BPS. Solar PV, including prosumer solar PV, provided up to 86% of the annual energy demand of the country by 2050.

Is Sri Lanka a viable alternative energy source?

Moreover, Sri Lanka has also identified the potential for wind, bioenergy, and solar as alternative energy sources in the past two decades. However, the current contribution from these three renewable sources in comparison to hydroelectricity remains significantly low.

Should Sri Lanka use water bodies for solar power generation?

With limited land availability for traditional solar installations, utilizing water bodies for solar power generation presents a smart and innovative solution. This strategy supports Sri Lanka’s ambitious national goal of generating 70% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030.

Does Sri Lanka use wind power?

Sri Lanka's history of using wind power dates back to the 3rd century B.C. and as showcased in Fig. 2 the country currently boasts over 5000 km 2 of windy areas that are considered to have excellent wind resource potential areas (Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority Ministry of Power and Energy, 2019).

What percentage of Sri Lanka's energy source is renewable?

However, as of 2018, only 39 % of Sri Lanka's energy generation capacity was harnessed through renewable energy sources. The continuous increase in electrical energy demand and the drastic increase in vehicle population over the past few years have resulted in much of its annual income being spent on purchasing fossil fuels from foreign countries.