A Tool for Sustainability: A Case for Biogas in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Sri Lanka at present oscillates between an energy crisis and an economic crisis now entwined as a result of costly private power purchase agreements based on thermal power aggravated by rising fuel prices. The country indeed can claim to be the only country in the region to provide uninterrupted power to the consumer but the situation at present had been realized at an enormous cost. The loss for the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) in the last year had been stated to be Rs. 53 billion, no small amount which could have been well used elsewhere. The power purchases are soft options and at the heart of operations lies the process of generation. On the agriculture front, the government is engaged in a costly subsidy operation with respect to the provision of fertiliser while the responsible scientists lament about the serious degradation in soil quality as provision of soil amendments etc. are not taking place. This is resulting in lower yields but with higher costs of production. There is a serious opportunity for organic matter to be used up in this area. The write up is to be courageous in thinking about biogas based power generation in a big way while realising additional benefits which will really give meaning to the statement sustainable processes in national economic management and development.