The Ministry of Power and Renewable Energy has launched a new community based power generation project titled Soorya Bala Sangramaya(Battle for Solar Energy) in collaboration with Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority (SLSEA), Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and Lanka Electricity Company (Private) Limited (LECO) to promote the setting up of small solar power plants on the rooftops of households, religious places, hotels, commercial establishments and industries.
It is expected to add 200 MW of solar electricity to the national grid by 2020 and 1000 MW by 2025 through this intervention.
Under this program, the consumers will have options to generate and use electricity in their premises.
In case of electricity in excess of their requirements, they can sell the excess to the national grid or bank it for later use. According to the electricity usage the customer can select a preferred option from the following three schemes:
- Net Metering
- Net Accounting
- Micro Solar Power Producer.
Net metering
The customer generates electricity using
solar panels fixed on their
houses/premises and connected to the
grid through net metering system. The
consumer has to pay only for the net
amount of electricity that he consumed.
In this system, if that particular
customer’s production exceeds his
consumption, he can bring forward the
balance and consume it in the
months forthcoming.
No fee will be paid for the excess
electricity produced.
The customer
will be given the choice of using the
balance electricity within 10 year
period.
Net accounting
If the generated units of electricity
using the solar panels fixed on their
houses/premises are greater than the
amount he consumed, the customer will be
paid Rs.22.00 per unit during the
first 07 years and from the 8th year he
will be paid Rs. 15.50 per unit.
If the consumption is greater than
he generated, the consumer has to pay at
the existing electricity tariff for the
excess electricity consumed.
Net Plus
Getting paid for the amount of
electricity generated using the solar
panels fixed on their houses/premises.
Unlike net metering method there is no
linkage in-between the
electricity consumption of the customer
and the electricity generation.
The customer has to pay for
the electricity consumed according to
the existing tariff. Electricity Board
will pay for the total amount of
electricity he generates.
