Net Metering Solar Systems from BAM Green to Cut Electricity Bills by 100%. Sunil Perera of Gypsies, a Happy Customer

02nd April 2013, www.ft.lk, By Rashika Fazali, Pix By Upul Abeysekera

BAM Green, a subsidiary of BAM holdings, commenced operations last Thursday (28) and will look at reducing up to 100% of commercial and domestic electricity costs by going green with the use of renewable energy sources.

crude oil is expected to dry out in the next 20 years and coal running out in another 200 years, powering energy will be a huge hassle, as prices will soar and the search for alternative sources of energy rapidly becoming the need of the moment.

However, with solar power being the most practical and free source of energy, BAM Green will look to power Sri Lankan households and businesses by advocating the conversion to cheaper energy with the use of the company’s Net Metering system.

This system will be connected to the power line directly through the meter and any excess solar power generated, will be fed back to the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) grid using an export system. The energy left in the system will then be used to power households at night which will be referred to as power imports. Consumers will only have to pay the difference between the imports and exports at the end of the month.

At the launch of the company’s new subsidiary held at Water’s Edge, BAM Green introduced its first customer to invest in their solar panel Net Metering system, popular musician Sunil Perera who stated: “My electricity bill compared to average users was high. It was around Rs. 80,000 and with all our efforts; we could never get it below Rs. 65,000.”

As the high electricity cost was posing a big issue in his household, Perera stated that he went in search of a system that would significantly reduce his monthly electricity bill. Having found the Net Metering system and installed it in June last year, he revealed that his present electricity bill showed a surprising drop to around Rs. 4,000. “The month before it was around Rs. 5000,” stated Perera adding, “I am very happy with the investment. If you are having doubts, don’t worry. Just go for it.”

With the Net Metering system, the cost of electricity is gradually reduced with the efficiency of the solar panel but at the same time it also depends on the type of equipment installed and their overall energy consumption.

BAM Green has so far tried, tested and completed 25 pilot projects covering the domestic and commercial sector and revealed that the company will offer a massive 25 year warranty on the Net Metering systems, which is sourced from Norwegian Renewable Energy Corporations (REC) Group, a leading global provider of solar power solutions.

REC Group Asia Pacific Managing Director Shailendra Mohan Bebortha stated that this technology will help take the human race forward into the next generation of sustainable power generation. After the realization that climate change is man-made and following the recent tsunami in Japan that caused a nuclear catastrophe that rocked the world, he stated that the environment needs to be looked after with more care.

In addition, BAM Green in collaboration with the Carbon Consulting Company handed out carbon conservation certificates to their clients who have helped preserve the environment with the reduction of their individual carbon footprints.

Related Info :

• Feasibility of Solar Electricity in Sri Lanka. Overview of Solar PV Installation in Hotel Industry by SWITCH-Asia Greening Sri Lanka Hotels Programme

• Solar Energy Can Free Sri Lanka's Dependence on Fossil Fuels - Kanagalingam Gnanalingam, Rtrd Additional General Manager of Ceylon Electricity Board

• Sri Lankan Households Can Sell Solar Power to Ceylon Electricity Board. Pilot Project for Domestic Net Metering Started

• Sri Lanka's First Grid-Connected Solar Power Project to be Set up in Hambantota. 500KW $50mn Project Funded by Korean Government