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The Cabinet is expected to review and potentially approve Sri Lanka’s Green Hydrogen Policy on Monday (18) to accelerate both foreign and domestic investment in the country’s renewable energy sector, the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority (SLSEA) told The Sunday Morning.
The anticipated approval follows the issuance of a Request for Information (RFI) on 23 April by the Ministry of Energy together with the Board of Investment (BOI).
The joint market-sounding initiative seeks to identify prospective investors and projects capable of developing green hydrogen and green ammonia manufacturing facilities under existing investment frameworks.
Under the RFI, qualified investors, developers, and operators have been invited to submit high-level project concepts. Authorities say the information gathered will support policy refinement, investment facilitation planning, and the formulation of future structured procurement and engagement processes.
Submissions will be jointly evaluated by the Ministry of Energy and the BOI, with emphasis placed on technical capability and investment feasibility.
The Government clarified that the exercise was non-binding and did not constitute a formal tender, solicitation, or offer. Parties demonstrating strong commercial and strategic alignment may subsequently be invited for bilateral discussions.
The RFI submission window is scheduled to close on 5 June, after which the information collected is expected to guide the country’s long-term implementation strategy for hydrogen energy development.
SLSEA Chairman Prof. Wijendra Jayalath Bandara said that the current focus was on securing policy approval before transitioning towards a detailed implementation framework.
“There was a hydrogen roadmap prepared long ago. Initially, we are getting Cabinet approval for the Green Hydrogen Policy. The recommendation from the Government side is to prepare a strategic implementation roadmap for green hydrogen. In terms of the legal framework, anyone seeking to utilise energy resources in the country for these projects must obtain an energy permit, which would normally be issued by the SLSEA.
“Safety regulations specific to hydrogen have not yet been approved, but investors will still have to comply with the existing laws and regulations of the country. In the meantime, while we prepare the roadmap or strategic implementation plan, projects can proceed without causing harm,” he said.
Prof. Bandara explained that green hydrogen production in Sri Lanka would rely exclusively on renewable energy sources and would not place an additional burden on the national electricity grid.
“Sri Lanka is situated close to the equator and receives an enormous amount of sunlight. Investors can utilise rooftop solar or large-scale solar installations, depending on land availability. The energy used must come from renewable sources such as hydro, solar, wind, or other green energy sources. These projects will not have any direct connection to the national grid or existing electricity infrastructure. One of the important aspects of hydrogen is that it can also function as an energy storage mechanism,” he said.
