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What is NCRE National Energy Policy Present Status

Non-Conventional Renewable Energy

The government of Sri Lanka has identified the development of Renewable Energy Projects, as a matter of policy to diversify the electricity sector from high cost thermal power generation. Therefore, required incentives and assistance was provided for the renewable energy resource development (Mini Hydro, Bio Mass, Wind, etc.,). Further National Energy Policy 2006 has identified fuel diversify and energy security in electricity generation as a strategic objective and development of renewable energy projects was identified as a part of this strategy. In view of above action has been taken to introduce a cost based, technology specific, three-tier tariff instead of avoided cost based tariff from the year 2007.



NCRE Tariff Announcement

Click here to download the NCRE Tariff Announcement as a PDF.


Cost based, technology specific NCRE Tariff

The cost based approach of determining tariffs for NCRE power plants is commonly used in many countries. The tariff that is computed using this method, allows a project developer to cover its O & M and capital costs. Besides, it ensures an assured return on capital.

This method analyses the cash flows as a result of the project activity with return on equity as one of the components of cash outflow and estimates annual cost of generation. There are some variations in the application of this method. The tariff can be given in tiers where in the initial years (typically the loan repayment period), the tariff given is higher and then lower tariff is given for the subsequent periods, which covers the operational costs and the return on the investment. The cost escalations, the O&M escalation, fuel cost escalation, and incentives in terms of subsidy or other fiscal incentives can also be included while estimating tariffs by this method. The tariff calculated by this method varies from technology to technology depending upon the performance and costs. Moreover, the tariff estimation by this method solely depends on the cost and performance of the project/ technology.

In the cost based approach, ideally tariff should be estimated for each project. However, due to resource and time constraints, technology benchmarking is commonly used wherein the average parameters such as the plant factor and, capital costs, are used for estimation of tariff. 




National Energy Policy

Sri Lanka has achieved several goals set in the National Energy Policy and Strategies (2008) in the completion of electrification and the development of the renewable energy sector on the island.

The importance of enhancing self-reliance and the continuous development of the renewable energy sector in Sri Lanka is also emphasized as a part of the Ten Pillars of the National Energy Policy (2019). It is described in greater detail on the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2135/61 of 09.08.2019

Present Status of Non-Conventional Renewable Energy (NCRE) Sector as at 21-06-2022

No Description Project Type No.of Project Capacity (MW)
01 Commissioned Projects Mini Hydro Power 213 426.434
02 - Wind Power 17 148.45
03 - Biomass-Agricultural & Industrial Waste Power 4 13.08
04 - Biomass- Dendro Power 9 27.01
05 - Solar Power 75 108.36
06 - Municipal Solid Waste 1 10
01 - Total – Commissioned 319 733.334


Year 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2121 2022
Energy (GWh) 222 257 320 363 436 462 517 566 609 640 0 0 743


Year 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Energy (GWh) 722 730 1178 1215 1466 1170 1463 1714 1711 1704 2252 2010