Bio-fuel to shoulder power needs

Suraj A. Bandara

Bio-fuel derived from biomass will be the foundation of power generation in Sri Lanka in the future, Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said.

He was participating in an inspection tour of the Tokyo Cement Factory in Trincomalee recently.

The Minister asserted that the power demand in the North and East will be supplied 100 percent within two years. Urgent steps have been taken to supply power in the North and East in line with other infrastructure facilities, he said.

An active bio-fuel power generation factory producing a capacity of 10 megawatts is functioning in the Tokyo cement Factory with the help of Paddy husks, gliricidia and coconut shells. The Government is committed to use this local technology to generate additional 20 megawatts by 2015, he said.

Through bio-fuel technology, the entire North and East regions will be supplied with power in the near future, he said.

This is the major alternative to meet the increasing demand for power in the North and East, he added.

If Sri Lanka was able to use the bio-fuel technology properly, the future power generation will be totally depend on bio-fuels, the Minister added.

Eastern region will be the foundation for bio-fuels, he said.