Biography

Solar Energy- a Solution to the Energy Crisis in Sri Lanka I M Dharmadasa (IMD) is the Professor of Electronic Materials & Devices at Sheffield Hallam University in the UK and Head of the Electronic Materials & Sensors Research Group within the Materials and Engineering Research Institute (MERI).

Welcome

I am involved in solar energy research & development, Renewable Energy Applications and other charitable activities.

There is a worldwide community involved in these activities and this is my presence on the worldwide web to keep in touch and share ideas with fellow professionals and the general public.

This site provides articles, photos and other resources arising from my work. The aim of the site is to share knowledge and accelerate the take up of renewable energy applications as a means for social development and reduction of poverty.

Solar Energy for a Healthy Society (English – 25.5 minutes)

Solar Village (English – 16.5 minutes)

Solar Village (Sinhalese – 4.40 minutes)

Nochchiya Solar Village in Sri Lanka, Funded by UK registered Charities

The first stage of a large solar village project at Nochchiya village-cluster situated in the Kurunegala district, Sri Lanka, was established in January 2017, with the installation of two solar power systems, each funded by UK registered charities – The Association of Professional Sri Lankans in the UK (APSL) and Hela Sarana.

nochchiya-solar-village-apslhs-media-release

 

Solar Energy Strategy for Sri Lanka: The Solar Village Solution for Sustainable Development and Poverty Reduction

This paper will first summarise few relevant projects for energy production using solar energy for Sri Lanka. Amongst these projects, the “Solar Village” will be the main focus of this paper. This will include a brief history of the development of this project through an HE Link programme in the 1990s. The pilot project started in 2008 in Kurunegala District and its tremendous impacts on social development will be discussed. Solar village concepts used to empower village communities, combat climate change issues and find solutions to social problems like kidney diseases due to non-availability of clean and drinkable water will be presented. There are 13 out of 17 SDGs (sustainable development goals as highlighted by the United Nations) embedded in this particular project by channelling new Science and Technologies towards Social development. With the help of two charity organisations {APSL-UK (Association of Professional Sri Lankans in the UK) and Helasarana}, another few Solar Villages are commencing soon as a replica of the pilot project.

solar-energy-strategy-for-sri-lanka-and-solar-village-project

 

Prof. Dharmadasa’s discussion at Young Asia TV- 3D Green

Solar Energy- a Solution to the Energy Crisis in Sri Lanka.

Prof Dharmadasa has designed, piloted and monitored “Solar Village” project, and this is now in the replication stage within and outside Sri Lanka.

IMD is a Fellow of the World Innovation Foundation and the UK Institute of Physics. He referees for over 12 international Journals and currently serves as Assessor/panel member for The European Commission (EC) and the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC). In the past he has served as an Assessor & panel member for the UK funding Council (EPSRC), Department of Trade & Industry (DTI), The British Council (BC).

Why have petroleum products become so expensive recently?

There are a few major factors contributing to the price increase of oil.

• The increase of demand over supply
• The weakening of US dollar
• OPEC vs. non-OPEC or the World politics
• Increasing difficulty in extraction of oil from the earth crust.

UK-China Delegation for Renewable Energy Research

ACES academic, Prof. I M Dharmadasa (Dharme) was recently invited by the Royal Society (RS) to a UK-China delegation to establish new research links in the fast growing solar energy field. The delegation was organised by the RS in UK and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in China.

Renewable Energy Resource reaches an international audience

Readers all around the world can now download a renewable energy handbook compiled by experts at Sheffield Hallam University and other institutes to help promote the clean energy technologies.

The success of the Sheffield Hallam team’s work to raise international public awareness of sustainable energy supplies has already lead to the formation of SAREP (South Asia Renewable Energy Programme) with the support from the UK Department for International Development, the British Council and the Commonwealth Science Council. This renewable energy promotional work has also attracted awards and praise including a  Eurosolar UK prize for inspiring renewable energy projects, and a Fellowship from the World Innovation Foundation.