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2009-04-28
Remarks:
Dr. Krishan Deheragoda, Chairman, Sustainable Energy Authority; Mr. Padmanaban, Director SARI/Energy, Mr. Mike Ellis, Chief of Party, PA Consulting Group Inc., distinguished speakers, participants, friends, ladies and gentlemen:
It is indeed a great honor and pleasure for me to welcome you to the Regional Workshop on Energy Efficient Lighting, which is being organized by the South Asia Regional Initiative for Energy, or SARI/Energy Program.
As some of you may know, the SARI/Energy program is part of the U.S. Agency for International Development or USAID. USAID, the development agency of the U.S. Government, provides humanitarian assistance and development support in 82 countries in the world, where we work with local governments and other partners to help residents working to make a better life for themselves, their families, and their communities.
USAID has been working in Sri Lanka for more than 50 years, and we are proud of the work we have done, and the partnerships we have built across this country. We are especially pleased that we are now working with the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority on this initiative to increase access to energy efficient lighting.
The city of Colombo is proud to host this regional workshop on energy efficient lighting – a subject of intense interest today in Sri Lanka, as well as in the South Asia region. It is an important topic for all of us because of the direct links between access to electricity and economic growth. And because the region is a major contributor to electricity demand, specifically peak demand.
I take this opportunity to thank the guests, speakers and participants for taking time out off their busy schedules to participate in this very important event. This event takes on additional significance because of yesterday’s launch of the Regional Center for Energy Efficient Lighting. The event is also important because this workshop will highlight the institutional development and functioning of the Lighting Center.
We are very fortunate to have with us several eminent speakers and delegates, both from the region as well as globally, who have rich experience on a wide range of issues related to energy efficiency in general and efficient lighting in particular, including its role in mitigating climate change and advancing regional energy security. I am sure their contributions will make this program a great success, and that all of you will benefit from the mutual sharing of knowledge, information and experiences.
I feel this event could not have come at a more opportune time. Today, most South Asian countries are confronted with enormous energy shortage problems. They need this energy to expand economic activities that will provide increased income for a large section of their populations, to help them emerge out of acute poverty and achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Many South Asian countries are net energy importers, and they want very much to explore the prospects and potential for accelerating the deployment of energy efficient technologies, as well as the development of indigenous energy resources.
Just yesterday we witnessed the launch of South Asia’s first Regional Center for Energy Efficient Lighting, an initiative between USAID’s SARI/Energy and the Government of Sri Lanka’s Sustainable Energy Authority. Earlier this year, the Sustainable Energy Authority and USAID signed a memorandum of understanding to support and promote the Center. Yesterday’s launch and this workshop are both follow-ups to that agreement signing.
This initiative is designed to encourage collaborative efforts among the eight countries of the region to increase energy security through sustainable development; in this case, energy efficient lighting. I am very proud that the SARI/Energy program has identified Sri Lanka to host this Center, and I would also like to acknowledge the Sustainable Energy Authority for its enthusiastic endorsement and support for hosting the Regional Center for Energy Efficient Lighting.
In addition, I would like to acknowledge the Lighting Research Center of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, or RPI, in Troy New York. As many of you know, RPI is one of the leading technology research universities in the United States, and the Lighting Research Center is one of the preeminent university-based research centers on lighting in the world. We are fortunate to have RPI’s participation in this project.
We also need to thank SARI/Energy’s institutional contractor, PA Consulting for their work in implementing the program objectives. Later in their opening remarks, Mr. Padmanaban will speak more about SARI/Energy and its role in promoting the Lighting Center, and Mr. Ellis will outline the agenda for the two day workshop.
For USAID Sri Lanka, it is appropriate that the Regional Center for Energy Efficient Lighting is located in Sri Lanka, because we recognize the importance of increased access to clean, efficient, and affordable electricity in our development work. With the end of the conflict in eastern Sri Lanka, USAID is committed to helping conflict-affected communities in the East return to normalcy as quickly as possible. We are focused on stabilization and development activities that will increase human and economic security throughout the East. People need to feel safe in their communities, and they need to find jobs that allow them to take care of themselves and their families. And as we will hear throughout the workshop, job creation and economic growth are directly tied to access to electricity.
USAID has started several new programs that specifically encourage economic growth in the eastern region. One program, Connecting Regional Economies, or CORE, will work with farmers and other businesses in the East to develop links so that eastern producers will have new domestic and international markets where they can sell their products. Another program, Partnership for Eastern Economic Revitalization, or PEER, will work with private sector companies, which will match our funds on at least a one-to-one basis, so we can leverage our resources and work to create sustainable jobs in private industry.
All of our economic initiatives depend on making energy more accessible to businesses, schools, government facilities, and communities in the East. Access, cost, and environmental impact are all important when we talk about the role that increased electrification can play in helping to develop the East. That is why we at USAID Sri Lanka are so excited about having the Regional Center for Energy Efficient Lighting in Sri Lanka. We are hopeful that the Center will develop new technologies that can help transform economic development in the East.
In addition to our other development work, USAID’s direct contribution to the energy sector in Sri Lanka has been primarily through SARI/Energy regional initiatives, which include:
· Regional workshops and training in the adoption of energy markets
· Participation in the South Asia Women in Energy Program
· Participation in other regional energy related programs, and
· A pre-feasibility study for the India – Sri Lanka Submarine Cable Interconnection Project.
In this respect, I am happy to see that the Governments of India and Sri Lanka are close to executing a memorandum of understanding for the submarine cable project. To support this project, SARI/Energy has recently initiated and sponsored a System Reliability Study for the Ceylon Electricity Board. This study will enable the Ceylon Electricity Board to understand and model the interconnection requirements of the India grid, and move towards completion of this important project for Sri-Lanka.
With this overview of USAID in Sri Lanka, I would like to close my opening remarks. Once again, many thanks to all for your active participation in this workshop. We look forward to a successful implementation of the Center and a long standing partnership with the Sustainable Energy Authority.
Thank you.
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