EV adoption key to boosting renewable energy and economy – Minister Anura Karunathilake

"Currently, the percentage of electric vehicles in the country is one percent. If it can be increased to some extent and renewable energy can be used to charge them, billions of rupees spent on fossil fuels can be saved." "Also, we can fully utilize the renewable energy potential of our country and ultimately contribute to the economy," said Energy Minister Anura Karunathilake.

He made these comments while initiating a special stakeholder consultation workshop in Colombo today (17) to prepare a national policy for the development of infrastructure facilities for electric vehicle charging.

The Minister further stated that all possible steps will be taken to identify the limiting factors that have limited the growth of electric vehicle use and to overcome them, and that methods such as introducing a lower charge for vehicle charging during the day when electricity demand is low, establishing charging stations outside urban areas, and strengthening the national power grid will be used.

The Ministry of Energy, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Climate and Clean Air Alliance, will The Public Utilities Commission (CCAC) is organizing this workshop jointly with the Sri Lanka Renewable Energy Authority (SLC), the National System Manager (Pvt) Ltd., the Electricity Distribution Lanka (Pvt) Ltd. and the Lanka Electricity (Pvt) Ltd.

The event was attended by Deputy Minister of Energy Arkam Ilyas, Secretary to the Ministry of Energy Russell Aponsu, Director General (Engineering) of the Ministry of Energy J.I.D. Jayasundara, and other high-ranking officials, as well as the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme, Ms. Azusa Kubota, and other high-ranking officials from the field.