“The Blackouts in Sri Lanka Became a Motivating Factor”

Experiencing eight to ten hours of daily blackouts

Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, is home to many beautiful beaches and offers a relaxed lifestyle, but it’s also a city that has been struggling with frequent power irregularities. Someone who has had first-hand experiences with this is Ishani Dolawatta, who lived through the worst blackouts in Sri Lanka in years, working as a full stack developer.

“At the peak of the crisis, the whole country experienced a series of electrical blackouts lasting eight to ten hours per day. The blackouts were so frequent that I was forced to build my own power station, using a vehicle battery, jumper cables and an inverter from Aliexpress. I couldn’t do my job without it,” she says.

Eager to fight for sustainable and reliable energy

Even though Sri Lanka is sunny most days of the year and the rocky landscapes create ideal conditions for hydropower, the country is still relying heavily on fossil fuels for its energy supply.

“A civil war and a recent economic crisis have spiraled the developments in the wrong direction, where costly imported coal and oil have been seen as the most reliable source of power in the country. This, in combination with the slow pace at which things are moving, really made me eager to fight for sustainable and reliable energy,” she says.

Continued her career up north

After moving to Stockholm to continue her career, Ishani was headhunted by the team at Flower, offering her a role in the Asset Development team.

“It was the perfect fit. I instantly shared Flower’s vision of contributing to a flexible and reliable energy system that opens up opportunities for renewable energy sources. In Sri Lanka for one, this is key to enable the energy transition.”

“I can now contribute to the solution”

In the near future, Ishani is hoping that Sri Lanka will invest in more solar power and move away from fossil fuels while making way for innovative energy solutions.

“I believe that energy is such a huge part of a country’s prosperity. Flower’s proactive approach has really inspired me on this journey where I feel I can now contribute to the solution. I know how hard it is to live without a reliable electricity system. To be a part of changing that is both inspiring and incredibly rewarding.”