The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will assist Sri Lanka to set up a Sustainable Energy Development Programme(SEDP) in accordance with the guidelines introduced by the International Renewable Energy Association Programme. The principal objective of this project is to utilize alternative sources of energy such as wind power, Dendro, Bio-gas, refuse, cane refuse, solar power and small-scale hydropower development, the Power and Energy Ministry said.

Power and Energy Minister W.D.J.Seneviratne told The Island Financial Review that a branch the International Renewable Energy Association (IRENA) was set up in the United Arab Emirates with the support of Sri Lanka and as a result of that the UAE had come forward to assist Sri Lanka.

He pointed out that the utilization of fossil fuel in power generation processes was limited internationally and the Power and Energy Ministry had formulated a plan to switch to alternative sources of energy in the next 10 years in Sri Lanka. The necessity for the use of renewable source of energy had arisen due to depletion of sources of energy in the world.

Minister Seneviratne added that in accordance with the new policy formulation of the Power and Energy Ministry, it expects to generate 400 of power MW from wind power, dendro, bio-gas, solar power and small-scale hydro-power generation plants. At present renewable energy sources were capable of generating only 110 MW.

He elaborated that the UAE had been well-disposed towards Sri Lanka and the focus of the two countries was to replace fossil fuel utilization with renewable energy for sustainable energy development.