Sri Lanka renewable energy use grows

Dec 29, 2011 (LBO) - Non-conventional renewable energy use has grown sharply this year, accounting for the fastest growth among the different sources of energy in the island, according to latest central bank data.





Non-conventional renewable energy mainly consists of hydro- , wind, solar and biomass.

Most non-conventional hydro-power in Sri Lanka comes from small scale, grid connected hydro resources that were not tapped conventionally, according to the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority.

Small hydro power has contributed the bulk of the growth in the non-conventional renewable energy industry in the past 15 years.

The Sri Lanka government has said it aims to have non-conventional renewable energy contribute 10 percent to the national grid by the end of 2015. Non-conventional renewable energy generation rose 56.

8 percent or by 40.9 Gwh (gigawatt hours) to 112.9 Gwh in January - October 2011 from 72 Gwh in the same period the year before.

Total electricity generation rose 7.

6 percent or 680 Gwh to 9,582 Gwh during the period with thermal energy showing the second biggest rise - by 55.7 percent or 698 Gwh to 1,951 Gwh.

The central bank data showed there had been a slight decrease in wind