'All should conserve energy'

Dharma Sri Abeyratne

Everyone is duty-bound to conserve energy so as to mitigate the energy crisis, which will hamper the whole world in near future since fossil fuel as the main energy resource may end within next four decades, Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said.

The minister said so addressing a gathering yesterday in Colombo. At the event 40 Energy Conservation Clubs established in schools countrywide were handed over cash donations for their further progress on energy conservation.

The event was jointly organised by the Education and Power and Energy Ministries. Energy conservation clubs are established in schools under the theme "Towards Energy Secure Sri Lanka" under the guidance of Sustainable Energy Authority of Power and Energy Ministry.

Minister Ranawaka said that the world is at a risk of an energy crisis since the fossil fuel will end in 40 years. While gas deposits will end in 60 years.

According to estimates coal deposits will end in 80 years. Therefore, no country can get rid of an energy crisis. The world has to overcome this fuel crisis.

At the same time fossil fuel consuming causes huge environment impact including global warming. Coal burning is among the main causes for global warming, the minister said.

Therefore, the best way is energy conservation. The minister noted that if a 60 watt electricity bulb can be switched off by every 4.6 million electricity consuming families in Sri Lanka, the annual electricity conservation is over Rs 4.5 billion.

"In other words if we switch off a single light during the peek hours from 6.30 pm to 9.30 pm that conservation equals to shutting down a gas turbine at Kelanitissa electricity plant."

The Electricity Board is also struggling to meet the high electricity demand during the three hour period.

To address this issue public have to conserve electricity throughout the day especially during peek hours. To meet the demand in peek hours Electricity Board has to depend mainly on fossil fuel.

During the peek hours public may switch off unnecessary lights and not using high electricity consuming appliances such as irons, air-conditioners.

Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena said that steps will be taken to make the school community undestand the value of energy conservation.