Tyre maker CEAT Kelani Holdings has completed an investment of Rs. 475.97 million in a High Tension (HT) metering roof-top photovoltaic panel solar power plant as part of the company’s efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of its manufacturing operations at its Kelaniya complex.
The 2.4 MW solar power plant installed by Regen Renewables on the factory roof will produce 59.61 GWh in its operational period, offsetting about 21 percent of CEAT’s consumption of electricity from the national grid and contributing to an omission of 42,326 Tons of CO₂ emissions, a company official said.
The 295,200 square foot solar power plant became operational in December 2023 and will also reduce CEAT’s electricity bill, which currently accounts for about 13 percent of the company’s cost of production.
CEAT Kelani’s investment covered the cost of solar panels, inverters, walkways, a cleaning system, and the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) grid connection.
Company Managing Director Ravi Dadlani said, “As the manufacturer of nearly half of Sri Lanka’s requirements of pneumatic tyres, CEAT Kelani is a systemically-important contributor to the national economy, but our commitment goes deeper to encompass the community and the environment. This investment in renewable energy is just one example of our focus on sustainability.”
The CEAT Kelani joint venture’s investment in Sri Lanka over the past 10 years is more than Rs 8.5 billion.
The supplier of the solar power plant Regen Renewables represents Suntech – one of the world’s largest and most technologically advanced Tier-1 Solar panel manufacturers – and the inverter manufacturer Siemens-KACO in Sri Lanka.
Regen has been in the rooftop solar business for over a decade and has successfully installed and commissioned over 20 MW of facilities which is equivalent to a market share of almost 10 percent in the rooftop industry.
