Wind Energy – Sri Lanka
Pondera has just started an extensive assignment commissioned by the World Bank to support the Sri Lankan government on offshore wind.
According to the recently published roadmap by the World Bank, the South Asian island nation has great potential for offshore wind development.
The initial scouting exercise estimates locational potential of about 27 GW for fixed offshore wind in shallow waters (less than 50 meters depth) and 29 GW for floating offshore wind in deeper waters (50 to 1,000 meters depth).
While these numbers are substantial, further research is needed to determine how much of this potential is actually feasible for commercial implementation and which hurdles need to be tackled for successful realization. This is exactly what Pondera will detail out in the coming period.
Together with local partner RMA Energy, Pondera will further build on the findings and recommendations of the roadmap. An important task is investigating the feasibility of offshore wind in two identified high-potential areas of Mannar and Puttalam, by considering environmental, social, technical and economic constraints.
Pondera will also deepen existing knowledge about various key factors for offshore wind to de-risk the development. To decision makers, Pondera will provide pathways for future development scenarios and recommendations to decision-makers for further steps.
The entire study is expected to span for about 10 months. For the implementation, Pondera has partnered up with RMA Energy, a Sri Lankan energy consultancy firm with a long track record and vast in-country network.
