500kW Solar Park in Hambantota The southern town of Hambantota made history in 2011 as the location selected to install Sri Lanka’s first grid connected fully fledged Solar Park – providing 1237 kilowatts of energy to the national grid. The Government of Korea granted financial assistance to set up the first phase of the Solar Park at Baruthankanda located in Hambantota, where a majority of the population in the village lives without power. Sunpower Systems completed the first phase of the project of the proposed 1237 kW Solar park along with LG CNS of Korea. On 30th April 2011, the completed first phase added 500kW of clean energy to the National Grid. Now that both phases are completed, the solar park saves 429,000 litres per annum on thermal generation. It also prevents the emission of 963 tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere annually. Net Metering Not just green energy enthusiasts, but cost conscious households and bottomline- driven corporates are turning to solar power like never before. Solar, once thought to be an outrageously expensive investment, has now become affordable and economically feasible thanks to Grid-connected solar power systems through Net Metering. With Net Metering, you do not need to install expensive battery banks which were otherwise required to store solar energy before net metering was formulated. Batteries were formerly required to store energy as sunlight is available only during daytime. Net Metering is a mechanism which allows people who generate their own alternative power such as solar & wind to enjoy substantially reduced energy bills whilst uninterruptedly consuming power from the National Grid. Once your energy source is installed at your premises and connected to the grid through a special meter which measures both incoming and outgoing energy to and from your premises, you will be paying only for the net energy used. In other words, Net metering takes into account the amount of energy you export to the Grid against your energy imported from the Grid. It adjusts the monthly bill so that you pay only for the net amount of energy consumed. If you generate more than what you consume, then the net energy you have generated will be carried forward to the following month and set off against the consumption in that month. In the last 8 years, electricity charges have increased every year by approximately 20%. Net Metering with Solar Energy is the guaranteed way to ensure that you are protected from any future price escalations. Use solar power for your home, factory, office or any building that consumes electricity to achieve a 100% reduction in your electricity bill. In net metering, there would be no "payment" by your electricity supplier for what you produce. LECO or CEB only agrees to let you "bank" your surplus electricity with them, and let you take it back whenever you want, at any time in the future. The transaction is "in kind", not in rupees and cents. Solar & Wind Measurements Sri Lanka has no shortage of solar energy across the country. So too does the wind blow freely in all parts! Every roof top, unused backyard and spare piece of bare land can take advantage of this unused source of clean energy. But how do you know how much energy is available at your location? Power Predictor is the answer. Power Predictor precisely predicts the total amount of solar & wind energy that can be generated at your location. With a vast database of different brands of wind generators & solar panels, Power Predictor makes your decision easy. Power Predictor, which has been tested and endorsed by leading institutions, which include the University of Southampton and the City University of UK, will guide you to decide what you should be installing to achieve the best results from your site.