A 5-megawatt (MW) solar power pilot project is planned over the Viyana Canal in Mahiyanganaya, with the government beginning preliminary work on what is expected to be Sri Lanka’s first canal-top solar project.
The project will initially cover about five kilometres of the canal with solar panels, according to the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority (SLSEA).
Plantation and Community Infrastructure Minister Samantha Vidyarathna and Energy Minister Anura Karunathilaka reviewed the progress of the proposed project at a meeting held at the Parliament complex on Wednesday (09).
The meeting followed a preliminary field inspection carried out along the Viyana Canal on July 20, with officials reviewing the findings and identifying the feasibility studies and other steps required to proceed with the project.
Vidyarathna said installing solar panels over canals could enable renewable energy generation without requiring large areas of land for conventional solar power plants.
“This provides an opportunity to generate renewable energy while protecting land resources,” he said.
Karunathilaka said canal-top solar technology is already being used in several countries and that authorities were now examining its feasibility for Sri Lanka.
The Viyana Canal, which extends for more than 20 kilometres, has been identified as a suitable location due to its width and the availability of adequate sunlight for much of the year.
The SLSEA has identified that around five kilometres of the canal would need to be covered with solar panels to generate the proposed 5 MW capacity.
Officials are also examining the project’s potential environmental impacts and financing requirements before proceeding with implementation.
If the pilot project proves viable, authorities plan to consider expanding the use of the Viyana Canal for solar power generation and identifying other suitable canals for similar renewable energy projects.
Representatives of the SLSEA, Ceylon Electricity Distribution Company, Department of Wildlife Conservation, Mahaweli Authority of Sri Lanka, Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka and Forest Conservation Department also participated in the discussions. (Newswire)
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