Renewable energy: More serious focus is needed

In the context of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran and carrying a significant risk of escalating into a potential war situation developing first as a regional war and a subsequent involvement of other global powers signalling eventualities unpredictable, we have to be seriously concerned about our fuel supplies and the consequential energy issues that we may have to face.

- By TENNEKOON RUSIRIPALA

This should not be another exercise of pacification only to avoid a possible panic situation among the public on account of future supply of fuel only confined to consoling statements to the effect that we have sufficient fuel stocks for the next two months. This is a time we have to address it more seriously, being mindful of the future fuel consumptions of the country as well as the energy situation which is heavily dependent on fuel-based production as of now.

Therefore, it is necessary to pay special attention to alternate sources of energy in particular to renewable energy sources. There is a growing conjecture about our attention and focus on this aspect due to various questionable decisions taken during the recent past on issues connected to renewable energy production. We have to swim away from the slow progress experienced by the sector due to these reasons.

Today the sector is slogging in its slow march towards the far-fetched high targets set to be achieved, many years hence which remains highly optimistic looking more like idealistic vision only. The current global trends fast developing into highly controversial situations will make things unbearable for small highly dependent countries like us to actively engage in the energy sector improvement on a short-term basis.