The Government has decided to appoint a combined standing committee to make decisions concerning renewable energy projects and to monitor whether the decisions are efficiently and promptly implemented by the relevant institutions.

The Cabinet green-lit this resolution on Monday (11), after identifying the need to accelerate the implementation of renewable energy projects, in order to meet the nationally determined contribution targets by 2030.

On 20 November, the Cabinet of Ministers decided that a new system should be introduced for the speedy implementation of renewable energy projects, taking into account the time that it takes to implement such projects following the existing methods and the potential difficulties that interested investors have to face while working according to those methods.

Accordingly, the Cabinet approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera to appoint a combined standing committee representing the following institutions for this purpose: The Presidential Secretariat (chairperson of the committee); the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministries of – Finance, Economic Stabilisation and National Policies; Investment Promotions; Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation; Environment; Tourism and Lands; Industries; Power and Energy; Irrigation; and Water Supply and Estate Infrastructure Development; the Sustainable Energy Authority; and the Electricity Board.