Co-op key to advancing renewable energy

Bangladesh must work together with every stakeholder towards advancing renewable energy after overcoming the challenges of rooftop solar, as people are already interested in the Solar Home System (SHS).

Instead of importing everything, local technology innovation companies should be encouraged, and special benefits should be provided to businesses in their annual tax for using rooftop solar energy.

The Bangladesh Bank should encourage other commercial banks so that the Green Climate Fund can reach everyone’s doorstep.

Speakers made the remarks at a webinar titled “1500 MW electricity generation from multi-storied buildings, markets using rooftop solar energy panels by 2024 and sustainable solution to the country’s current electricity crisis,” organised by the Bangladesh Energy Society (BES) on Saturday.

At the event, a special light was shed on Bangladesh’s current position and future steps regarding the power crisis.

The chief guest of the webinar was Chairperson of parliamentary Standing Committee on Power, Energy & Mineral Resources Waseqa Ayesha Khan. BES President and former principal secretary and principal coordinator (SDG) Md Abul Kalam Azad presided over the event.

Chairman of Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (SREDA) Munira Sultana was present as the special guest.

The keynote was presented by Dipal C Barua, Founder and Chairman of Bright Green Energy Foundation (BGEF), Chief Advisor of Bangladesh Solar and Renewable Energy Association (BSREA) and Council Member of BES.

The panelists were Ezaz Al Qudrat A Mazid, Founder and Managing Director of Solar EPC Development Limited; Alamgir Morshed, Executive Director and CEO of Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL), Energy Expert Khandakar Abdus Salek Sufi and others.

The welcome speech was delivered by Monowar Islam, Vice President of BES and former Secretary of Power and former Chairman of Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC).

ASM Alamgir Kabir, Vice-President of BES and former Chairman of Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) presented the summary and comments.

It was presented by former Chairman of Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board and Managing Director and Council Member of Electricity Generation Company of Bangladesh Limited (EGCB) BES Major General Moin Uddin (retd).

In the original article, Dipal C Barua highlights which of the country’s government agencies involved with the electricity and energy situation can add grid-connected rooftop solar power. An annual target can be fixed from the power department considering the actual situation.