Biomass - Energy Toolbox

Policies for Renewable Energy in Sri Lanka

At the time this toolbox was being prepared, the Ministry of Power and Energy on behalf of Government of Sri Lanka had been in the process of finalizing the National Energy Policy and Strategies of Sri Lanka. The new Energy Policy documents spell out the implementing strategies, specific targets and milestones through which the Government of Sri Lanka and its people would endeavour to develop and manage the energy sector in the coming years. Specific new initiatives are included in this policy to expand the delivery of affordable energy services to a larger share of the population, to improve energy sector planning, management and regulation, and to revitalise biomass as a significant source of commercial energy.

The following are the key policy decisions, which are elaborated in the attached paper..

Providing Basic Energy Needs

Creating the necessary framework to provide the basic energy needs of the population is recognised as a primary social responsibility of the state.

Ensuring Energy Security

The primary and secondary energy sources used in the country will be diversified to maximise the country’s energy security. To ensure the continuity of supply, the future energy mix will be optimised considering important factors such as the economic cost, environmental impacts, reliability of supplies, convenience to consumers and strategic independence.

Promoting Indigenous Resources

Minimum dependence on non-indigenous resources and optimum development of local energy resources will minimise the vulnerability of energy supplies to external factors such as the international socio-political environment.

Enhancing Energy Sector Management Capacity

The management capability of the energy sector professionals needs to be enhanced to meet challenges in the emerging competitive environment in the sector and ensuring good governance.

Consumer Protection and Ensuring a Level Playing Field

The State accepts that consumers, the main stake holders, do not enjoy their rightful place in the electricity/petroleum sub-sectors. Also, the country has so far failed to prove to investors the stability of the energy sector and also exhibit a level playing field. Therefore necessary steps will be taken to protect the interests of the consumers and also ensure fairness and predictability to all energy sector investors.

More aspects of the draft policy document for Sri Lanka can be viewed here [PDF 113Kb].