Misconceptions on Solar Energy – A Study on Sri Lanka

With the sun at the center of our solar system, solar energy has enormous potential as an energy source. The amount of sunlight striking the Earth’s surface in an hour and a half, is enough to handle the entire world’s energy consumption for a full year. To put it into numbers, each hour 430 quintillion Joules energy from the sun hits the Earth. (That’s 430 with 18 zeros after it!) More on this here. Archived.   

Even though solar energy is eco-friendly and sustainable; burning of fossil fuel continues to be the major source of energy production around the world as it is more convenient. In 2018, the intergovernmental panel on climate change announced that 89% of global CO₂ emissions came from burning of fossil fuels. This leads to an increased rate of changes in climate patterns with rising sea levels, loss of biodiversity and deepening food scarcity etc.

Therefore, shifting to cleaner and sustainable energy sources such as solar power is of paramount importance. Yet some of the myths and misconceptions related to adverse effects of the renewable energy industry have meant that the public are still skeptical about embracing these options. 

We decided to find out the facts behind such claims on the solar energy industry with respect to Sri Lanka. 

Claim: Solar energy can be harnessed only when there is bring sunlight. 

Fact: Solar technology can function in any condition, even on rainy and snowy days.

While solar panels are more suited to tropical climates, solar panel efficiency is not affected by the outside temperature. In fact, solar panels mainly use the energy from the sunlight to produce energy. So, if sunlight is available, solar panels would continue to generate energy, even at lower levels in gloomy conditions.  

Electromagnetic radiation is absorbed by the photovoltaic (PV) cells in the solar panels converts this energy into electrical charge, causing electricity flow. Concentrated solar power (CSP), uses mirrors to concentrate solar rays and is mostly used in mass scale industrial installations. More on how solar panels work can be seen here

Because solar panels use the energy from the light of the sun rather than the heat, the amount of energy they produce in given weather conditions depends on the amount of cloud cover and how much light is still getting through to the panels. Solar systems produce excess energy during the sunny times that can continue to power households around the clock. 

Furthermore, contrary to popular beliefs, extreme heat is not the most preferred weather condition for solar energy generation and solar panels can work 20-30% less efficiently in extreme heat. More can be read here, Archived.

No energy conversion process completes at 100% efficiency. It is true that as compared to fossil fuels, solar energy has lower energy density. In terms of numbers, solar energy has about 15-22% efficiency rate, with biomass much lower at about 1%. However as compared to fossil fuels have an efficiency rate of around 40% and natural gas reaches up to about 60%. More on this here

Solar panel efficiency is the percentage of sunlight that’s converted to usable electricity. So even though it seems solar panels have lower efficiency this is not a major issue. Experts advise that it’s not worth paying for higher efficiency panels with a huge premium and instead could increase panels for greater energy requirements. Also, to optimize solar panel efficiency strategies such as installing a solar concentrator or backup batteries and operating a smaller number of devices at once are advised.

Even though coal and natural gas are more efficient options in terms of energy efficiency, when we take the environmental impact into consideration, solar energy scores heavily over other sources. 

Claim : Solar power is an overpriced method. It includes high installation and maintenance costs. Hence, it is not a suitable power source for a country like Sri Lanka.

Fact: Only the installation cost is high but the solar system is a beneficial method over time.

Research scientist, Dr. Gamini Piyadasa explains that since Sri Lanka is very close to the equator sufficient sunlight is received all around the year, hence , harnessing solar energy is the most suitable method with the prevailing climate in Sri Lanka.  The initial cost of purchasing a solar system is fairly high but the maintenance cost is negligible. 

There are two main types of solar energy technologies such as photovoltaic (PV) panels and concentrating solar-thermal power (CSP), with the photovoltaic method used mostly for domestic applications. Key components of the solar system such as solar panels, power conditioning unit (inverter), electrical panel and batteries are the key components of a solar system. 

Electrical engineer A.D.P. Ariyasinha stated that initial cost in a solar setup is higher, mainly due to the significant cost of the inverter including its tax. For cleaning and other maintenance purposes, using a soft brush once a year is sufficient as clean panels help absorb sunlight without interruption. 

Sri Lanka is endowed with several types of renewable energy resources, including biomass, hydropower, solar and wind. However, solar power energy generation is the main form of renewable energy source that indicates the highest growth potential during the last few years. Annual electrical energy produced from solar has risen nearly 46% in the past two decades.

Co-publication of the Asian Development Bank and the United Nations Development Programme also forecast significant improvements in the solar and wind power utilization in Sri Lanka in coming decades as seen below. Full report here

Claim: Government does not pay for the additional electricity generated via the solar system by consumers. 

Fact : The government is making the relevant payments, however with a delay. 

A.D.P. Ariyasinha, Electrical engineer of Solar Whole Sellers (Pvt) Ltd explains that within the first seven years of installation of a solar system, the government pays Rs.22 per unit for additional electricity which is gained from solar system to the main grid system. After that 15.50 rupees will be paid for the next 13 years. In this way, payments are made for a period of 20 years. However, this amount could vary with the situation in the country and decisions made by the government in future as well.

Accounts executive of Solar Wholesalers (Pvt) Ltd, Chamika Viraj said that the government had offered specific loans for solar power systems before the current crisis situation in Sri Lanka. The unprecedented levels of rising inflation in Sri Lanka has resulted in the prices of raw materials for the solar system soaring sky high. However, despite the initial high-cost considerations, still many customers are weighing up the possibilities of turning into solar, especially with the ongoing power cuts in Sri Lanka, Viraj added.