An engineer's view...Solar energy - Best source of Domestic Energy

Engineer G.G.N. Gunawardhana speaks about the economic viability of using solar energy in a country like Sri Lanka where sunlight is abundant. He says it is a viable option for domestic energy requirements. He shared the following with The Daily Mirror:

- G.G.N. Gunawardhana

Q How do you describe the suitability of solar energy for a tropical country like Sri Lanka?

Solar Panels should be the main source of energy in countries like Sri Lanka as we have abundant sunlight throughout the year. We have sunlight for more than 12 hours a day; 365 days a year. As a region that goes through four seasons, Europe has more watts per capita than Sri Lanka, which is saddening as we have plenty of sunlight throughout the year though we are far behind.

Sri Lanka has had power cuts throughout the past few years due to lack of rain which results in the reduction of hydropower energy. So during droughts, our country has to over-rely on fossil fuels to produce energy to help run our country and during the last few years it is evident that Sri Lanka does not have the capacity to solely rely on fossil fuels to power our country. This is why I feel we have still not used solar power effectively, and if the general public uses solar power in their households, we will not have to rely on fossil fuels as we do in the present. And also, it would reduce a lot of our cash being spent on fuel which has to be bought to run the diesel power plants. So, as you can see a tropical country like ours, especially considering the problematic situation we are in when it comes to over-reliance on fossil fuels during droughts, it would probably be the ideal country for solar power.

I personally believe having solar panels in Sri Lanka will improve the standard of life in most households, because most people refrain from buying air conditioners to avoid paying high electricity bills every month. But if you have solar power this will not worry you. You will be able to have an air conditioner without having to think about a 5-digit electricity bill every month.