Sri Lanka has made progress transitioning to renewable energy sources like hydro, which now provides 27.9% of its energy. Micro-hydro schemes have helped expand rural electrification from 40% in the 1980s to an estimated 98% currently. Key institutions like SLSEA and SLSEF promote sustainable energy development. Sri Lanka's experience with micro-hydro suggests such projects can effectively increase energy access in developing nations if long-term maintenance, governance, and community engagement are addressed.

1. LOW CARBON CASE STUDY
IN SRI LANKA
OPPORTUNITIES FOR MICRO-HYDRO SCHEMES

2. OVERVIEW - BASIC ENERGY STATISTICS IN SRI LANKA
Changing energy trends
Connectivity
Key institutional arrangements
Sri Lankan case study detailing micro-hydro energy projects

3. CHANGING ENERGY TRENDS
• Hydro Energy – 3291 GWh
• Thermal - 8338GWh
• Non-Conventional Renewable Energy – 169 GWh
Hydro Energy
27.9%
Thermal Oil
58.8%
Thermal Coal
12.0%
NCRE
1.4%
Energy Mix - 2012

4. CONNECTIVITY – SELECTED STATISTICS
•80%
Current Grid Access -
•98%
Estimated Grid Access
(2016)
•2%
Off-Grid Access
•8-10%
Annual Demand

5. CONNECTIVITY – SELECTED STATISTICS
• 350
Villages using micro-hydro
schemes
• 120,000
Households with solar home
systems
• 100
Houses using small wind
turbines
• 10
Villages with dendro power
• 30
Houses using biogass systems

6. INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS
Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority (SLSEA)
Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Fund (SLSEF)
Government offered a cost based generation tariff for developers
Funding diversification
• Attracting a portion of Certified Emission Reductions (CERs)
• Levying a cess on energy sales
• Charging an energy resource from renewable energy power plants operation under
Standardised Power Purchase Agreement (SPPA) on expiration of agreement after 15 years.
• Channelling a portion of savings from energy efficiency improvement/fuel switching projects.

7. SRI LANKAN CASE STUDY DETAILING MICRO-HYDRO
ENERGY PROJECTS
• Lessons for Asia and beyond – Sri Lanka’s experience could prove useful to
countries that are lagging in the electrification development cycle

8. INCEPTION SCENARIO
Grid Access - ~40% grid connectivity in the
1980s
Low rural electricity access

9. IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES
Technical Expertise
Finance
Governance systems

10. INITIAL IMPLEMENTATION OUTCOMES
Reach - 260+ off-grid systems in Sri Lanka
(50-100 households each)
Cost - Low cost-renewable energy (flat
rate of LKR 50/month)

11. POST IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES
Maintenance
Corruption

12. LESSONS LEARNED
Regulatory Framework
Certification
Community Development Mechanisms

13. END