Sri Lanka govt greenlights 100 MW of floating solar

The government of Sri Lanka has given the go-ahead to a project that will see the country build a 100-MW floating solar power project together with Canadian partners.

The Cabinet of Ministers last week approved a plan under which the photovoltaic (PV) farm, likely to be coupled with battery storage capacity, will be installed in the Maduru Oya Reservoir, in the eastern part of the island. The project will be implemented by a joint venture of the Sri Lanka Mahewali Authority, state-run Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority and the Canadian Solar Institute.

According to a report by the Colombo Page, the government has called for international competitive proposals to build the solar farm. A joint working committee will now be set up to conduct negotiations related to the project.

The scheme was initially proposed by the government of Canada and previously approved to cover 4% of the reservoir’s surface area. The construction of the plant will be part of Sri Lanka’s Soorya Bala Sangramaya Phase IV programme under which the country aims to add 400 MW of solar.

Choose your newsletter by Renewables Now. Join for free!