It is reported that the preliminary feasibility study for the ‘Canal-Top Solar’ project along the Vienna Canal in Mahiyangana has been completed. This is the first solar energy project to be built on a canal in Sri Lanka and it is said that it will minimize water evaporation and maintain the temperature of the water at an optimal level as an added advantage.
It is said that an electric fence is to be constructed on both sides of this canal as a solution to the problem of elephants falling into the canal, which is a common problem along the irrigation canal. The specialty of this project is also to prepare a foundation for advanced energy projects such as green hydrogen.
The Vienna Canal in Mahiyangana is a wide canal with a length of over 20 kilometers. Therefore, the Vienna Canal has been selected for this project considering the potential of adding a large renewable energy capacity to the national electricity grid by supporting the canal with solar panels and the optimal sunlight that is available for most of the year.
A special field observation tour and progress review discussion in this regard was held at Mahiyangana yesterday (20) and was attended by Member of Parliament Ravindra Bandara, Badulla District Member of Parliament Sudath Balagalla, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority Professor Wijendra Bandara, Director General Engineer Rohana Rambodage, Planning Engineer of the Lanka Electricity Distribution Company Asitha Attanayake and a group of others.