By Bernard Fernando –
Bernard Fernando
An enthusiastic advocate of Renewable energy from Solar Power, has sent the following piece to the writer.
‘’More than 35 power companies have applied for the first-time tender issued on Oct 14 for a battery energy storage system on a build-operate-transfer basis for 16 projects by Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB)… Fentons, Hayleys, DIMO, WindForce, Resus Power, W KV, Hydrotech, Pyramid Wilmar, Green Power Energy management…to install batteries from companies such as Huawei, Sungrow, CATL, Trina, Hithium, Gymco brands… WindForce & Hydrotech were among the lowest bidders.’’
As a consumer concerned on seeing a low unit cost from renewable energy based on “rational thinking and high productivity”, the writer was delighted with the Govt. decision to promote ‘Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)’ linked to Solar power as the cheapest renewable energy resource that will benefit the major consumer stakeholders for whom the Unit price is critical.
When reading the first news item on the said decision to promote BESS, the writer got the impression that the BESS was meant mainly for Roof top solar power systems at House Holds, Factories. Industries etc. where the main infra structure is freely and readily available in a secured and a supervised environment created by the investors themselves.
The introduction of the clause ‘Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) basis’ implies that they are aiming at large scale Water/ Land based projects which invite complex feasibility reports and red tape leading to deals and Commissions etc. which eventually will escalate the unit price for the consumer.
Furthermore, a looming danger would be for such large scale investors to bid ‘Cherio,Tata, Bye, (CTB) no sooner than they achieve the desired return on their investment and/or feel the heat in the kitchen as unbearable.
Thus, we appeal to the authorities to seriously consider the aforesaid facts and encourage Roof top solar Power investors with Income Tax reliefs and import duty concessions to suppliers and Manufacturers of storage systems who should also offer after sale maintenance to the buyers through suitable agreements.
Eventually, we can visualize a ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ with a zero carbon foot print and a citizenry self-sufficient in renewable power/energy earning additional income by exporting stable solar power to the national grid during night time peaks.
Leonard Jayawardena / November 2, 2025
Author: “Thus, we appeal to the authorities to seriously consider the aforesaid facts and encourage Roof top solar Power investors with Income Tax reliefs and import duty concessions to suppliers and Manufacturers of storage systems….”
There are so many benefits to roof top solar power systems with battery storage that people like this writer still have to beg the Government to provide tax reliefs to such systems is a sad comment on how backward we are still as a nation despite electing a government with supposedly “more progressive” policies.
At the individual user’s level the benefits include savings in the long run and less reliance on the utility company by being less affected by power outages. For the nation, these systems would help achieve its renewable energy goals (by reducing the carbon footprint). Solar systems with batteries do not contribute to grid imbalance, a recurring issue during the Sinhala New Year time. Politically, there is also an advantage to governments in having more consumers with solar systems with battery backup because they would then be less reliant on the utility company, whose employees would then have fewer people to hold to ransom during industrial action!
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