Soorya Bala Sangramaya (Battle for Solar Energy) – The Ministry of Power and Renewable Energy in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority, Ceylon Electricity Board and Lanka Electricity Company launched the Soorya Bala Sangramaya in 2016, with the intention of promoting and setting up small-scale solar power plants on rooftops of households, religious places, hotels, commercial establishments and industries, it is expected to add 200 MW of solar electricity to the national grid by 2020 and 1500 MW by 2025. The programme accommodates three options for consumers to generate and use electricity in their households: Net Metering, Net Accounting and Net Plus.
SCHEME 01 - NET METERING
The electricity bill will be prepared giving credit to the export and charging the consumer for the difference between the import and the export. If the export is more than the import in any billing period, the Consumer will receive an export credit and be credited towards his next month’s consumption. Such credits may be carried-over to subsequent months, as long as there is no change in the legal consumer for the premises.
SCHEME 02 - NET ACCOUNTING
This Scheme has introduced an additional element to Scheme 01 where an export tariff for the net energy exported (if any) was introduced. If the generated units of electricity using the solar panels fixed in the roof are greater than the units consumed, the customer will be paid LKR 22.00 per unit during the first 07 years and from the 08th to 20th year LKR 15.50 per unit. If the consumption is greater than the energy generated form the solar panels, the consumer pays the CEB at the existing electricity tariff for the excess energy consumed. The installed capacity of the Generating Facility shall not exceed the Contract Demand of the Producer. The contract period is 20 years.
SCHEME 03 – NET PLUS
Total generation of electricity from the solar PV power plant will be exported directly through a dedicated metre for which the customer will be paid. The energy import will be measured through a separate import metre and be billed as per the existing electricity tariff. The CEB shall read the metre to read the solar power plant output and the other metre to read the import energy. Total generation of electricity from the solar PV power plant will be exported directly through a dedicated metre for which the customer will be paid LKR 22.00 per unit during the first 07 years and from the 08th to 20th year LKR 15.50 per unit. The energy import will be measured through a separate import metre and will be billed as per the existing electricity tariff CEB. The installed capacity of the Generating Facility shall not exceed the Contract Demand of the Producer. The contract period is 20 years.