In a significant advancement for sustainable development in Sri Lanka, Hayleys Solar has been chosen to implement the nation’s inaugural Solar Agrivoltaics Project. This pioneering initiative, both designed and financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), strategically merges solar power generation with agriculture, setting a new precedent for land use efficiency and renewable energy adoption in the country.
The demonstration project, which became operational on February 29, 2024, is located at the Hanthana Ratnasiri Wickramanayake National Training Centre in Kandy. It represents a collaborative effort between key stakeholders, including the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority (SEA), the Tea Smallholders Development Authority (TSHDA), and the University of Peradeniya. The project innovatively installs 85 kWp of hybrid semi-transparent solar photovoltaic (PV) technology two meters above an 800-square-meter tea plantation, allowing sufficient sunlight for the crops while simultaneously harnessing solar energy.
This dual-purpose system is engineered to generate over 100 MWh of clean electricity annually, enough to power 19 local households and displace fossil fuel consumption, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The facility is enhanced with a 24-kWh battery energy storage system to ensure a stable power supply to the national grid. Further integrating technology with agriculture, the project includes an LED lighting system powered by the solar array to optimize tea growth and a groundwater pump to supply irrigation for the crops and water for the nearby community.
Professor Janaka Ekanayake of the University of Peradeniya highlighted the project’s capacity to address core national challenges. “Sri Lanka heavily relies on fossil fuels and has difficulties in the agricultural sector,” he stated. “The Solar Agrivoltaics Project generates more than 100 MWh of electricity a year, replacing fossil fuels and reducing greenhouse gases. It also improves the use of multifunctional land resources.”
By proving the viability of co-locating energy and food production, this initiative serves as a powerful blueprint for Sri Lanka’s future. The success of this model could be extended to other high-value crops like vanilla, tomatoes, and bell peppers, offering a scalable solution to enhance both energy security and agricultural productivity across the nation. The million-dollar project stands as a testament to the potential of cross-sector collaboration to drive sustainable innovation, positioning Sri Lanka as a leader in agrivoltaics and offering a replicable model for countries worldwide facing similar land-use and energy challenges.
Sources Related to Hayleys Solar Selected for Sri Lanka’s First ADB Agrivoltaics Project
- Sri Lanka’s only business publication | Daily FT
- Tag Archives: Renewable Energy in Sri Lanka – Hayleys PLC
- Agrivoltaics Project in Sri Lanka – Hayleys Solar
- Agrivoltaics Archives – Lanka Business News
- [PDF] Agri-Photovoltaic System Study for Sustainable Energy and Agriculture
