MINISTRY OF ENERGY TO INSTALL BATTERY STORAGE FOR SOLAR ENERGY IN HAMBANTOTA

The Ministry of Energy is set to build a new battery storage project in Hambantota to effectively manage solar power. The initiative aims to store electricity generated during the day and release it to the national grid from 6 pm to 10 pm, which is the period of peak demand.

The project, which will have a capacity of 5 MW and 10.7 MWh, is being funded by a US$11.9 million loan from the Republic of Korea. This system is designed to provide significant economic benefits by using low-cost daytime solar power to meet high-demand evening electricity needs.

Furthermore, this storage system will help stabilise the power grid and address instability issues that can arise from a high supply of solar power during periods of low demand. This project is a key part of the Energy Ministry's strategy to maximise the use of solar energy and is expected to be completed by the end of this year.