The project is implementing by the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority of the Ministry to the Ministry of Power & Energy (MoP&RE).

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Technology demonstration projects

The demonstration of sustainable biomass production and modern biomass energy technologies, by far is a success!
We have to our credit, a dozen of companies which operate BETs, while another dozen have done detailed feasibility studies and some have commenced the installation of gasifier systems. By the end of the Project, it is expected that, gasification alone will have a total installed capacity of 25.7 MWth and 1 MWe.

This would result in;

  • An annual saving of 295,178 GJ of fossil fuel
  • 4,680 MWh of electricity
  • A direct emission reduction of 252 ktCO2 (cumulative over 10 year lifetime)
  • An indirect emission reduction impacts between 609 ktCO2 (bottom-up) and 1,378 ktCO2 (top down)

As at June 2017, 27 large companies are operating BETs. They include the following.

Nine Large Companies

  • Blue Oceanic (1.2 MWth)
  • Cultural Heritage ( 1.2 MWth)
  • Nilmini Estate ( 1 MWth)
  • Lion Beer (12.2 MWth)
  • Neoprex ( 3.5 MWth)
  • Packwell (1.8 MWth)
  • Hero Nature (1.8 MWth)
  • Ansell (12.5 MWth)
  • Henatenna Tea ( 0.9 MWth)

Eighteen SMIs

  • Mahir Brothers (0.31 MWth)
  • Lanka Spice center (0.100 MWth)
  • Sri Lanka Human and Environmental Development (0.030 MWth)
  • Wishmitha Dasabala Poshana (0.016 MWth)
  • V Will (Pvt) Ltd., Kopay (0.020 MWth)
  • RRI-Agalawatta (0.050 MWth)
  • Ayurvedic Hospital (0.012 MWth)
  • Probation and Child Care Center (0.012 MWth)
  • NTS Kurunagala (0.012 MWth)( 0.9 MWth)
  • Sanota Blue (0.012 MWth)
  • Moneragala Hospital (0.012 MWth)
  • Hotel Binota (0.012 MWth)
  • Teaching Hospital Kurunagala (0.012 MWth)
  • Richmi Foods (0.012 MWth)
  • General Hospital Kandy ( 0.012 MWth)
  • Ran Lanka (0.32 MWth)
  • Wasana Products (0.02 MWth)
  • Rubber Research Institute ( 0.03 MWth)

The total installed capacity in large companies is 10.4 MWth, while the total installed capacity in SMIs is 1.6 MWth.
The saving of fossil fuel by June 2017 is 123,561 GJ. The electricity saving is 3216 MWh/ annum
The reduction in GHG emissions is 10.73 ktCO2e in large companies, 0.984 ktCO2e in SMIs, which account for a cumulative of 11.714 ktCO2e saving.

A conducive environment to promote the sustainable use of biomass energy development

  • The National Energy Policy, published in 2017, provides a very conducive policy regulatory framework to support the biomass energy sector.
  • A standard for sustainable production of fuelwood was developed by the support of the project with Sri Lanka Standards Institute and other relevant stakeholders. The standard is named SLS 1551:2016. This standard addresses issues of traceability, legal requirements; etc, to promote and support the use of sustainably produced fuel wood in industrial thermal applications.
  • The Project envisions developing a conducive policy-regulatory framework, complete with appropriate incentives for the production, transportation and use of biomass for energy in industrial and commercial establishments.

Increasing the sustainable fuelwood production

The Project has established 890 ha of model fuelwood plantations. These were done with different stakeholders.

  • The Department of Forest Conservation established 100 ha
  • Seven selected NGOs/CBOs established 350 ha
  • The Thalawakele Tea Estate PLC established 100 ha
  • The Rubber Research Institute of Sri Lanka established 100 ha

The Project has established 890 ha of model fuelwood plantations. These were done with different stakeholders.

  • In addition to this, we are closely working with the Coconut Cultivation Board to establish 240 ha of fuel wood demonstration models in coconut plantations, in partnership with private coconut growers, in CCB owned lands.
  • The survey on biomass resources, land use and land availability for different growing models plus survey on current management practices, socio-economic benefits and challenges in 11 districts have been completed, validated and published during last reporting period.
  • Critical review of issues and options on different growing models/ production systems their acceptability is completed.
  • We also published a Handbook on sustainable approaches to fuel wood growing models titled “Best Growing Approaches and Practices of Sri Lanka”. This Handbook is available in the local language.

Sustainable fuelwood supply chains

The report on the Assessment and Mapping of Biomass Consumption in Sri Lankan industries was completed on number of larger scale industries and SMIs by the SEA. This study covers the current status of biomass energy and recorded demand for biomass by different industrial sectors by district with supply zones.
With this available information, the Project developed an initiative to setup a biomass energy terminal. We have initiated steps to establish six biomass energy terminals in the following districts of Kurunegala, Galle, Ratnapura, Gampaha, Moneragala and Nuwaraeliya.
A standard for the sustainable production of fuelwood was developed by the support of the project with the Sri Lanka Standards Institute and relevant stakeholders. Named SLS 1551:2016, this addresses issues of traceability and legal requirements etc.
Currently, a standard for solid bio fuel is under development. This will look into the consistency in the quality of fuel, better coordination between industry and production and improved compatibility.
A database for information exchange among the relevant stakeholders is in the final stages of development. The database is designed to improve coordination between the supply and end use industry and also bring the current informal biomass energy chain to a formal status. It is anticipated that the database will be populated by engaging relevant industries.