Australian firm developing 700 MW floating solar, 1.5 GWh battery, in Sri Lanka supported by government PPA

Victorian company United Solar Group, which is developing a floating 700 MW solar and 1.5 GWh battery project at the Poonakary Lake in Kilinochchi, Sri Lanka, has had a Power Purchase Agreement approved by the Sri Lankan cabinet.

Floating solar (FPV) installations are becoming increasingly popular across Asia.

Image: pv magazine, Ilias Tsagas

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The Sri Lankan government has approved a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with United Solar Group of Australia to enable a direct foreign investment of USD 1.72 billion ($2.63 billion) to deliver the floating solar and storage project.

The project will see 437 hectares in the shallow of the Poonakary Lake in Kilinochchi fitted with a 700 MW solar system. This system will be coupled with a 1,500 MWh battery, though few other details of the storage system have been made public.

Sri Lanka’s Power and Energy Minister, Kanchana Wijesekera, announced the news via his X account on Tuesday, saying the PPA deal had been approved by the country’s cabinet. 

Victorian company United Solar Group initially proposed the project in September following a call out from the country’s government seeking projects with a capacity of 50 MW or more to accelerate renewable energy development programs in Sri Lanka.

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