Bio-mass energy for national grid
Mega Ten invests US $ 15 m in new station:
Harshini Perera
Mega Ten Bioenergy will start its production of biomass energy from
Gliricidia fuel wood by 2011 end and the production will contribute to
the national grid with 10 megawatts.
Mega Ten Bioenergy Director Jinawara Dharmawardana,
Electricity and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka and
FUDEICO Chairman Dr. Xu Xing Zhong at the inauguration.
Picture by Sumanachandra Ariyawansa |
Shenzhen Full Dimension Sustainable Energy Investment Co Ltd of China
(FUDEICO) together with IMS Holdings will invest US $ 15.23 million in
this Gliricidia Sepium Biomass Power Station in Kumbukana in Moneragala
district, Mega Ten Bioenergy Director Jinawara Dharmawardana said. The
agreement for the joint venture investment was signed yesterday.
Shenzhen Full Dimension Sustainable Energy Investment of China (FUDEICO)
has invested 70 percent while IMS Holdings will invest the rest.
The construction of the power station will start in February 2011 and
it could generate 60 direct job opportunities while there will be 100
indirect job opportunities in transporting and cultivating Gliricidia
wood. “We have already obtained a 10 hectare plot of land on long lease
from the Janatha Estates Development Board in Moneragala.”
The plant is in the full capacity of 12 megawatts while two megawatts
will be utilised for factory use,” he said. IMS Holdings (Pvt) Ltd are
currently negotiating to start a similar biomass production plant in
Ridimaliyadda,Bibile with a capacity for 25 megawatts. IMS Holdings has
signed a Standard Power Purchasing Agreement with Ceylon Electricity
Board to sell a unit at Rs 18.56 for 20 years to the national grid.
The Gliricidia Sepium Biomass Power Station is the first biomass
power station of the kind and has realized that there are possibilities
of using sugarcane wastage as a biomass crop. The Government will
introduce the use of natural gas to meet energy needs of Sri Lanka. |