Sri Lanka Prepares to Launch Bidding for its First Offshore Wind Farms

Sri Lanka is planning to issue tenders for the development of two 500 MW offshore wind farms, according to Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) Chairman Tilak Siyambalapitiya. CEB is currently carrying out feasibility studies along the Sri Lankan west coast, specifically in the Mannar and Puttalam areas, which have been identified as suitable for offshore wind development. The studies will be complete by 2027, paving the way for bidding rounds in the following year.

“We have commenced a comprehensive study to prepare a roadmap for deploying offshore wind turbines. Backed by the World Bank, the initiative has completed a pre-feasibility study this year. The findings recommend targeting 1,000 MW of offshore wind development in the initial phase. Power generation is anticipated to start by 2030,” Siyambalapitiya told local media.

The World Bank estimates that Sri Lanka's total offshore wind potential is about 56GW, with the western and southern coasts having the most suitable wind speeds and technical conditions. Two areas near Mannar Island and Puttalam were identified to be suitable for fixed-bottom foundations, with moderate wind speeds averaging 8-9 m/s.

Out of the 56 GW of offshore wind potential, 27 GW of capacity is located in water depths of less than 50 meters, where fixed-bottom turbines are suitable. The rest of the 29 GW is floating wind capacity, located in deep waters of between 50-1,000 meters.

Sri Lanka has identified offshore wind as an important component of its carbon-neutral future. Last week, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a $200 million loan to upgrade Sri Lanka’s power sector infrastructure, facilitating greater integration of renewable energy.

While Sri Lanka’s total installed power generation capacity reached 5.2 GW in 2023, about 50 percent of the country’s electricity generation came from thermal power plants. But in its updated nationally determined contribution, Sri Lanka has set an ambitious target of 70 percent electricity generation from renewables by 2030 and carbon neutrality in the power sector by 2050.