Sri Lanka approves hybrid renewable energy project
Sri Lanka’s Cabinet of Ministers has given the green light to the development of a hybrid renewable energy project in Punarin, which includes 240 megawatts (MW) of wind and 800 MW of solar.
The move is in line with the Sri Lankan government’s plans to significantly expand renewable energy sources’ share of the nation’s power mix.
The Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority (SLSEA) has identified the northern regions of the country as a suitable location to construct wind and solar power plants.
Under the proposal, the construction of the hybrid energy park will be built in three phases spanning two years.
The government recently unveiled its policy to add a considerable amount of electricity to the national grid through renewable energy sources.
Ceylon Electricity Board has set a target to increase electricity produced by renewables from the 10 per cent generated today, to 17 per cent by the end of 2019.
In March, the Cabinet announced the nation will issue an international tender to set up a 100 MW floating solar plant on the Maduru Oya Reservoir, in the east of the country.
Since then, Sri Lanka has announced it will allocate LKR350 million (US$2.29m) in the 2017 budget to implement its green building policy.
Source – 25/05/2017,Climate Action, See more at – http://www.climateactionprogramme.org/news/sri-lanka-approves-hybrid-renewable-energy-project
Dead Jumbo’s stomach contained 25kg polythene
The stomach of a dead wild elephant was found to contain over 25 kg of polythene, according to Wild Life officials in the Polonnaruwa District.
A wild elephant was found dead on the main road between Polonnaruwa and Batticaloa yesterday (24). It had fallen on a garbage dump which contained polythene bags and plastic bottles.
The Wild Life officials, who went to the scene to examine the carcass of the elephant, carried out an autopsy with the help of a veterinary surgeon, sources said.
The surgeon who had performed the autopsy at the spot where the animal had collapsed found polythene weighing 25kg in its stomach sources added.
Further examination confirmed that the dead elephant was 30 years old.
The Wild Life officials said that due to garbage being dumped on the roadside wild elephants come out of the forests to eat the waste.Despite the elephant –human conflict in the Eastern Province having led to the death of elephants and humans on a large scale, the new phenomenon is the death of wild animals due to the consumption of polythene and plastic waste dumped on the roadsides in the jungle areas.
The Wild Life officials had also confirmed that in recent times nearly eleven elephants had died due to consuming the polythene and plastic waste dumped on the roadside.
Source – 25/05/2017,Ceylon Today, See more at – http://www.ceylontoday.lk/article20170401CT20170930.php?id=5204
