Exploring solar energy potential

According to a recently published report in this newspaper lifestyle of thousands of rural families has changed through the use of solar panels. The rural people are enjoying electricity-oriented facilities getting uninterrupted power supply from solar panel units set up in their houses. Bangladesh has a success story in developing off-grid rooftop solar power known as solar home system (SHS) which has given electricity to a large number of people living in rather remote off-grid areas who would not have electricity otherwise.

The need for using solar energy in Bangladesh can’t be overemphasised. The sun is a huge source of renewable and clean energy. Some estimates say that sunlight could produce 10,000 times as much power as the earth used at the turn of the 21st century. And as long as there is a sun, there will be solar power. After all, the sun is not dying any time soon. With rapidly increasing technological advances in harnessing the power of the sun the future of solar energy looks bright indeed.

Bangladesh is now one of the largest users of solar home systems in the world. According to the Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (SREDA), more than 6 million solar home systems have been installed under the IDCOL program in the off-grid rural areas of Bangladesh and about 13 million beneficiaries are getting solar electricity.

With long hot summer months, Bangladesh is an ideal candidate for increased use of solar energy. If solar and other renewable energy sources can gradually replace the use of fossil not only will it save crores of taka spent on importing diesel but emission-free agricultural practice will help reduce the carbon footprint to a great degree.

With the cost of installing solar panels coming down, each village in future may be able to set up panels and generate enough power for irrigation. Initially, though, donor agencies as well as non-governmental organisations, micro-finance institutions, private companies and commercial banks can play a vital role in funding the installation of more pumps.

The report states that zero-maintenance costs, renewable energy sources, saving money on utility bills and an alternative solution during acute load shedding, have led to solar home systems becoming popular across the country. With climate change becoming a looming threat the country must look for ways to increase the use of renewable energy sources like solar power.

Solar energy generates energy without releasing greenhouse effect gases (GHG), making them an indispensable ally in the battle against climate change and environmental degradation. In any case, fossil fuels will be depleted in the long run, unlike solar power.

It is not just global warming concerns that are pushing nations towards the adoption of renewable energy sources; the growing burden on developing countries’ external sector and weakening balance-of-payment positions, too, are proving to be a major incentive in the shift to solar and wind energy and biofuels.

However, venturing into solar power is easier said than done, even if one has the resources. Solar power plants require large amounts of land to set up solar panels. But land is expensive in Bangladesh and also fragmented, making it difficult to pool large tracts of land for a solar project. The government must, therefore, introduce a policy to allow both government and private land to be leased over long periods if solar power plants are to foster in the country.

If there is one lesson that Bangladesh should learn from the ongoing turmoil in the international energy markets, it is to look for cheaper and reliable substitutes to the expensive import-based fuels so that it can tackle power sector challenges, ranging from shortages to affordability and accessibility.

Like other regional nations, Bangladesh should also plan to boost its generation from renewable sources to at least 50pc over the next 10 years to decrease its reliance on fossil fuels and lighten the burden of expensive oil and gas imports on its fragile external balance-of-payments position.