Let there be light

Sri Lanka is a tropical country with plenty of sunshine. The sun shines on our isle year-round and it is surely the most abundant resource. But we are yet to realise the vast potential of this freely available, completely renewable source of power.

Solar power is not a new concept in this country, but it has still not taken off the ground. The cost factor was one of the main sore points. Solar panels used to be very expensive, but prices have gradually fallen over the past few years. Today’s panels are also more energy efficient than the ones that existed just a few years ago. In this context, I came across the following interesting news item.

Electricity generated from solar power will soon be more competitive with that produced from conventional energy resources such as natural gas, as the cost could fall below US$1 per watt, said Zhengrong Shi, founder and chief executive of China’s Suntech Power Holdings, the world’s largest provider of solar panels.

Speaking on Wednesday the sidelines of “Clean Power Asia Conference and Expo 2011” in Bangkok, Shi said the cost of electricity generated from solar power was US$6 per watt a decade ago. This has now fallen to $2 per watt, with solar prices across the industry likely to decrease by 6 per cent per annum. My take on this news item is that given a few more years, solar power will be cheaper than all other sources of power, other renewables included.

There are many indications that solar power is finally going mainstream in Sri Lanka as well. Work is due to begin on the country’s largest solar plant in Hambantota which will generate 737 Kw. With the commissioning of this project, Sri Lanka would be able to save more than 430,000 litres of Diesel used for power generation annually. It will also stop 963 tons of carbon dioxide from being released to the environment. Several private companies are also planning to build solar plants, also known as solar farms.

Another success story is the popularity of solar hot water systems. These have become must-have items for new houses and lower capacity models are well within reach of most such householders. Moreover, they can now be purchased on an installment basis, lessening the cost burden.

Solar power is also being seen as a long-term answer to rural electrification. The truth is that the national grid may not reach some of the most remote or inaccessible areas, because it is not cost effective to extend towers and transmission lines to such locations. Solar power is the only plausible answer especially with the decreasing cost of photovoltaic cells used for electricity generation. Today’s solar cells can also power more devices for the same number of square metres when compared with older systems.

It is time that more attention is focused on solar power. Why not insist on the installation of solar panels for electricity generation (not just for hot water) on every new commercial, condominium and large scale residential building project ? One can just imagine the savings on electricity bills. Of course, solar power will still complement mains power in these projects, but the benefits will be immense. Indeed, big cities around the world are gearing up for solar power.

New York has just published a solar map of every rooftop which revealed that two-thirds of the City’s rooftops are suitable for solar panels and could jointly generate enough energy to meet half the city’s demand for electricity at peak periods. The rooftops could generate up to 5,847 megawatts from these buildings, it was disclosed. The map, which shows the solar potential of each of the city’s one-million-plus buildings, is a result of a series of flights over the city by an airplane equipped with a laser system known as Lidar, for light detection and ranging.

While we may not have access to such technology, a gross estimate could surely be made on structures that are suitable for retro-fitting with solar panels. The authorities could grant concessions and incentives for solar installations especially at residential complexes.

Stand-alone solar power products should also be popularised. Most people waste a lot of electricity (and money) on garden lights that are kept on throughout the night. Solar garden lights can take this entire cost away (apart from the initial cost). It is a good solution for street lights too.

It is also heartening to note that some institutions are thinking out of the box when it comes to solar power. One example is the decision by the Sri Lanka Ocean University to equip 3,500 multi-day fishing vessels with solar energy to prevent any breakdown in their radio network and electricity supply in mid-sea. There have been a number of cases of fishermen being stranded because they could not operate their radio after engine failure.

This project implemented by the university’s lecturer N P G Pushpika under the guidance of Fisheries and Naval Engineering Institute Chairman Prof Ranjith Senanayake is aimed at minimising ship accidents in mid-sea. The solar battery cells and air and watertight electronic parts needed for this project will be imported from China. The cells and the solar batteries will have a life span of about 10 years. This is a step in the right direction that our fisher community will appreciate.

Other local universities should take a cue from this initiative and be involved in more research on solar power. Any successful innovations or inventions could be marketed in partnership with commercial manufacturers. They should also keep abreast of the latest developments in solar power worldwide.

One such example is the Solar Impulse plane, just unveiled at the Paris Air Show. It can fly thousands of kilometres without using a single drop of fuel, on solar energy alone. While this is a very high-tech example of the future use of solar power, it can point our research labs in the right direction. Studies have also shown that solar power has an edge over wind power in most instances. Solar power is definitely the fuel of the future and we should go all out to bring in a little sunshine to our homes - and our lives - starting now.