By Ifham Nizam
The world market price of coal had gone up six times in a decade and oil prices had gone up four times during the same period. The careful use of those resources were of paramount importance to avert further burdens to the power sector, says Power and Energy Minister, Patali Champika Ranawaka.
Addressing a packed audience at the BMICH on Wednesday evening, he said fossil fuels were depleting at a rapid rate and it was reaching its peak. It was up to the consumers to use it carefully.
He said, "Everyone is duty-bound to conserve energy so as to mitigate the energy crisis, which will hamper the development of the whole world in the near future as fossil fuel which was the main energy resource may end within the next four decades,".
The event was jointly organised by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Sri Lanka at the BMICH premisesto educate the all related officers .
Ranawaka said that the world was at the risk of an energy crisis since fossil fuel would end in 40 years. The gas deposits would end in 60 years.
Regarding coal, according to estimates, coal deposits would end in 80 years. Therefore, no country could avoid an energy crisis. The world had to overcome this fuel crisis and find alternatives, he added.
He also said that at the same time fossil fuel consumption caused a alarming environment impact including global warming. "Coal burning is among the main causes for global warming," the former Environment Minister said.
Ranawaka believes that the best option was energy conservation.
He said, "A 60 watt electricity bulb could be switched off in every house. There are 4.6 million electricity consuming families in Sri Lanka. If we do that the annual electricity conservation is over Rs 4.5 billion.
"In other words if we switch off a single light during the peak hours from 6.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. that conservation equals shutting down a gas turbine at Kelanitissa electricity plant."
The Electricity Board is also struggling to meet the high electricity demand during that three hour period, he added.
To address that issue public had to conserve electricity throughout the day especially during peak hours. To meet the demand during peak hours the Electricity Board had to depend mainly on fossil fuel.
During the peak hours public could switch off unnecessary lights and avoid using high electricity consuming appliances such as irons and air-conditioners.
BMICH Director General Bandula Ekanayake said that the BMICH, which housed about 20 institutions, had a workforce of 900 employees and paid a monthly electricity bill of Rs. 06 million.
He said that the presentation of Minister Ranawaka on energy conservation would certainly help them reduce the electricity bill despite the recent fuel surcharges.
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