Bangladesh excels in green energy
Posted by :Web Editor in Development Updates ,28 May 2014
Recently a report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) highlighted
Bangladesh’s successes in creating substantial employment in the renewable energy
sector. In the last ten years, Bangladesh, which currently boasts the sixth largest energy
related workforce, saw the number of solar powered homes increase from 25,000 to 2.8
million. 114,000 jobs were created as a result of the industry which has grown up in the
manufacturing, installation and repair of solar panels and related accessories. The
number of solar powered jobs nearly doubled between 2011 and 2013. The report further
stated that the numbers are set to increase further due to high installation rates.
The current government has plans to enhance national power generation capacity to
16000 MW by 2015 to meet expected energy demands of that time. The government
envisages that at least 500 MW of such power should come from solar sources. To that
end, they have embarked on a comprehensive program , which sets out how they plan to
make the best possible use of solar energy between the years 2012 and 2016. Works are
currently underway on Bangladesh’s largest solar power plant at Sulla Upazila of
Sunamganj district. This 400 KW capacity plant will supply power to 400 homes and
will be built by funding from the Climate Trust Fund and government of Bangladesh.
Consumers benefiting too
It is not only that Bangladesh is taking significant strides in making effective use of
renewable energy sources, but the end consumers too, are also being immensely
benefited by the move towards green energy. In a survey conducted by the government’s
Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Department (IMED), it was found that about
98.8% of the solar home systems (SHSs) under a project have been able to reduce their
expenses significantly than kerosene, candle or torchlight while 89% found SHSs to be
more environment and human health friendly.
The current major solar energy projects which the government of Bangladesh is
implementing include:
i. 8 MW Grid Connected Solar PV Power Plant at Kaptai Hydro Power Station,at
Rangamati
on
turnkey
basis;
ii. 3 MW Grid Connected Solar PV Power Plant at Sharishabari, Jamalpur on IPP basis;
iii. 30 MW Solar Park Project adjacent to new Dhorola Bridge, Kurigram on IPP basis;
iv. Solar Street Lighting Projects in seven (7) City Corporations of the country
With a 700 km coastline Bangladesh has immense potential for harnessing the power of
wind
Public private cooperation – Key to success
Building an effective partnership between the public and private sectors has been one of
the principal reasons behind Bangladesh’s remarkable success in this emerging field. For
instance the Infrastructure Development Company Limited or IDCOL , which was
established by the government of Bangladesh as a non-bank financial institution in 1997,
has played a major role in distributing the benefits of solar energy under their Solar
Energy Program . IDCOL’s target is to finance 6 millions solar home systems (SHSs) by
2016.
Wind not far behind
However, it is not only solar energy where Bangladesh is making its mark. Other forms
of renewable energy (such as wind power, biomass based electricity, biogas based
electricity, hydropower etc) are also being tested and applied to practical power
generation needs of Bangladesh.
Very recently, Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) signed a deal with US
DK Energy (BD) Ltd for construction of a 60 MW wind power plant at Cox’s Bazar
district. BPDB has also initiated steps to commission a wind map for the regions of
Cox’s Bazar, Kutubdia, Khepupara, Feni and Chittagong to better enable us to find the
right geographical location to tap into further wind energy.
It is estimated that the country’s 740 square kilometer coastal belt can produce as much
as 20,000 MW of electricity if the potential of wind can be harnessed by adopting
requisite measures. It is believed that the aforementioned wind mapping, once done, will
open up the potential that wind holds for power generation in Bangladesh.
The government is also looking at hybrid technology whereby the powers of wind and
sun combine to help people obtain electricity. One such ongoing project is a 7.5 MW off
Grid wind-solar hybrid system at Hatiya Island, Noakhali.
A domestic bio gas plant in Bangladesh powering homes and farms
Biogas- A cost effective green solution
Biogas is a fuel gas, a mixture consisting of 65% methane (CH4) and of 35% CO2. It is a
renewable energy resulting from biomass. In Bangladesh, people in rural areas are
making use of this cost effective solution to energy needs in their kitchens and fields.
Currently, Bangladesh receives 2 MW power from biogas and biomass technologies. For
instance, for the last couple of years, people in several rural areas of Gaibandha district
have been using biogas for cooking purposes, and the slurry, the main effluent of the
biogas plant, as organic fertilizer for boosting agriculture production. it should be noted
that the production and use of bio-fuel instead of fossil fuel reduces the emission of
greenhouse gas that causes global warming.
Current power generation capacity of renewable energy
Category
Achievement
Solar Home System
45 MW
Other
Solar
PV 1 MW
Applications including
Solar Irrigation
Wind Energy
Biomass
electricity
Biogas
electricity
Total
2 MW
based <1 MW
based 1 MW
50 MW
Governmental support
Here is a brief look at some, but not all, of the principal steps/actions taken by the current
government so far to encourage and/or promote the use of power acquired from
renewable sources:
i.
Formulation
and
amendment
of
Renewable
Energy
Policy
The government formulated the Renewable Energy Policy in 2009. According to the
policy , Bangladesh has set itself the target of achieving 5% of its total energy production
from
renewable
energy
sources
by
2015
and
10%
by
2020.
More recently, the government has taken the initiative to revise the Energy Policy to
provide subsidies to the renewable energy sectors. The subsidies will be provided in two
separate schemes for the urban and rural areas.
ii. Incentives for investors
The draft revised policy will also allow waiving of income taxes of foreign and local
investors in these sectors for 15 years. Foreign investors will enjoy waiver of taxes on the
earnings from technical know-how, technical assistance, royalty, and the tax on the
interest on foreign loans.
They would also be able to transfer investment, income and profit to other countries.
Furthermore, entrepreneurs would be waived from taking licenses from the Bangladesh
Energy Regulatory Commission for installation and operation of a renewable power
plant with less than 5MW capacity.
iii. Institutional development
Recently, the government established the Sustainable and Renewable Energy Authority
under the SREDA Act 2013. This organization will work as the principal regulatory
authority and coordinator for all kinds of activities regarding renewable and sustainable
energy sources. It will act as a coordination body for the development of renewable
energy in the country.
Government agencies and departments like Bangladesh Power Development Board
(BPDB), Rural Electrification Board (REB), Local Government Engineering Directorate
(LGED) and others are involved in renewable energy development in Bangladesh. Noted
Public Universities and their affiliated Institutes are involved in research and
development of Renewable Energy Applications.
A new wing on Sustainable Energy has been set up under Power Cell, the technical unit
of Power Division. The wing comprises of one Director and one Deputy Director is
extending technical support to the Renewable Energy Wing of Power Division in
formulation of relevant program and policy.
Establishment of separate directorates among the public utilities can carry forward
research and development of Renewable Energy Technologies. With this purview,
independent renewable energy directorates have been set up under BPDB and REB. The
directorates are functioning at full extent.
iv. Central bank’s assistance
The central bank, Bangladesh Bank, has issued various instruments to encourage
investment and financing of green energy. They have formulated and issued
“Environmental Risk Management Guidelines” and “Policy Guidelines for Green
Banking” for all banks and financial institutions which provide instructions to finance
solar energy, bio-gas plant, ETP and Hybrid Hoffman Kiln (HHK) in brick making
sector under refinance programs. Another dozen plus green energy products are expected
to be introduced shortly for encouraging investment in green energy sectors.
Conclusion
Given the policy and institutional supports this emerging sector is getting, the campaign
for promoting renewable energy in Bangladesh surely looks as being on track to achieve
the expected targets within a very short time. To know more about Bangladesh
government’s current activities and future plans on renewable energy please visit the
websites of Bangladesh Power Division and Bangladesh Power Development Board.