Still scope for India-Sri Lanka energy cooperation despite Adani project cancellation

- Dr. Debajit Palit

- By Kelum Bandara

Dr. Debajit Palit, an Indian scholar who has done extensive research on climate change and energy transition, speaks about Sri Lanka's clean energy potential and the benefits of developing the sector.

He is the Centre HeadClimate Change and Energy Transition - of Chintan Research Foundation in India. He was in Sri Lanka recently to attend a forum organised by Pathfinder Foundation. Chintan is a think tank started with initial support from India's Adani group.

How do you look at India-Sri Lanka collaboration in the energy sector, especially given Sri Lanka's potential?

That is a very important question. You have to have a transmission connection between Sri Lanka and India. The northern part of Sri Lanka can be connected to the southern part of India, wherever the distance is the least. What's the benefit? The main thing is that both countries can benefit from this collaboration. Now, Sri Lanka has a huge potential for both solar and wind, particularly in the northern part of Sri Lanka.

India also has a huge potential for renewable energy in the southern part, particularly in Tamil Nadu-wind and offshore wind. India also has a huge demand for energy, and particularly clean energy. We have also made a commitment to become net-zero by 2070.

Per capita energy consumption in India is currently one-third of the global average. We want to become developed by 2047.

To become developed, we have to consume a lot of energy. What we have seen is that almost all the developed countries have very high energy consumption. Unless you start consuming energy for productive use, industrial purposes, and electrification, your path towards a developed status is not complete. We have to electrify most of our energy demand. You need electricity for that. That electricity has to be clean. That clean energy we have to get from different sources.