'Energy conservation can help reduce effects of tariff hike'

Disna MUDALIGE

The country has the potential to save about 12- 15 percent energy, if the public makes a genuine effort in this regard, Sustainable Energy Authority Managing Director M M R Padmasiri told the Daily News yesterday.

He observed that from the total energy consumption, 40 percent is accounted for by domestic requirements.

Fifty eight percent accounted for by industrial and commercial use whereas two percent is used for street lamps and religious purposes.

He said that Authority surveys have confirmed that the public can curtail the domestic energy consumption by 12 to 15 percent if genuine efforts are made.

He observed that the refrigerator consumes the heaviest number of units compared to other appliances adding that the use of refrigerator can be managed.

He also observed that energy conservation during peak hours from 6.30pm to 8.30pm is critical observing that the load of energy requirement increases to 2,100MW in the country during this period. Domestic requirement increases up to 60 percent during this period, including 44 percent for lighting, 21.4 percent for televisions, 18.5 percent for refrigerators and 5.7 percent for irons. He observed that the average cost that the government has to bear to generate power during these two hours is very high.

He observed that energy conservation, renewable energy usage and change in life styles would help to face the impending world oil crisis. He also revealed that a post of energy conservator for public institutions would be gazetted shortly. Accordingly, the government would recruit about 800 energy conservators to the main public institutions in the near future.

He also revealed that the government hopes to introduce international energy conservation standard ISO 50,001 to Sri Lanka in the near future, with the collaboration of the SLSI. Environmental Conservationist Taya F Daiz observed that the fuel price increase is a global reality which must be tackled sooner or later. He noted that people must actively participate in the efforts of energy conservation understanding the crisis situation adding that the government alone cannot face the impending challenge.

He noted that people should actively support to diverge for renewable energy resources for power generation. He noted that people should change their ways of energy usage. Citing construction industry for an example he observed that a lot of energy can be saved if we adopted right technology in the manufacturing of building materials.

"Where Sri Lanka is concerned, a lot of energy is wasted due to inappropriate construction practices including the use of asbestos, blind walls blocking the natural breeze and light making the air conditioning an essential factors",? he explained.

The fuel consumption of the country is 55,000 metric tons of petrol and 169,000 metric tons of diesel per month. About 18,000 metric tons of fuel is supplied to the national grid power generation.

The price of an oil barrel has risen to USD 120 in the international market and according to the present trend this is to increase further. Sri Lanka purchases 90 percent of its oil requirement from Iran and therefore the current crisis in Iran has a direct effect on our country.

The government still provides fuel at concessionary prices incurring a loss of Rs 2.45 from one liter of diesel and a loss of Rs. 4.60 from one liter of kerosene. The CPC had to suffer a loss of Rs 24,000million in 2010 and Rs 89,879 million in 2011 mainly due to fuel concessions. According to the present calculations the loss of the CPC in 2012 is expected to be about Rs 63,684million.

Under the revised prices the CEB needs Rs 40,000 million for power supply and as analyzed , the CEB would also suffer a loss of about Rs 70 billion. Meanwhile, the statistics of the Motor Traffic Department revealed that the number of vehicle population in Sri Lanka has doubled in 2011 compared to 2003.

This figure was 2,073,869 in 2003 and it had increased to 4,479,732 in 2011. There is a tremendous increase of the population of motor cars, three wheels and motor cycles within the said period.