Prospect of renewable energy in Bangladesh

Bangladesh is one of the most climate vulnerable countries, though it contributes less than 0.47 per cent of global emissions. The country is affected by global warming, but it is not responsible for the cause.

Green technologies can protect Bangladesh, and at the same time, contribute towards its socio-economic development.

In 1996, in the hope of building an enlightened Bangladesh by providing solar power to the rural underprivileged people and in response to the growing demand for electricity, I started working on solar energy, biogas and wind energy by setting up Grameen Shakti.

I was the founding managing director of this organisation. Later, the solar home system became popular among the rural people of Bangladesh for its affordable monthly installment-based financial model, over the price of kerosene.

The Green Technology Center (GTC) was established to develop and expand renewable energy, increase the skills of women in remote areas for rural employment, and provide after-sales service to the customer’s home.

By setting up branch offices in various remote areas of the country and improving the supply system, a strong network was created to help make the solar home system popular and acceptable.

Following this path, Bangladesh has already installed more than 6 million solar home systems in remote areas, which is the largest solar programme in the world. Also, about 2,100 solar irrigation pumps have been installed, and it will be able to replace more than 1.3 million shallow (diesel powered) pumps.

More than 200,000 solar street lights have been installed especially in the rural areas of Bangladesh, and there is a possibility of installing 1 million solar street lights across the country.

The solar rooftop programme is growing rapidly in Bangladesh, and has the potential to generate about 6,000MW of electricity. About 27 solar mini grids have been installed in the country, and another 50 solar mini grids are in the process of implementation.

Recently, 7 utility-scale solar projects have been implemented, and 175.2 MW solar power has already been connected to the national grid. It has also received government approval to connect about 1695.77 MW of solar power to the national grid.

In addition, solar irrigation pumps, solar mini-grids, solar arsenic treatment projects, solar street lights, and solar rooftops on the roofs of various houses and institutions have already been installed along with solar home systems in various remote areas of the country such as chars, coastal and hilly areas.

Moreover, this renewable energy has been transformed into an effective alternative and market-based model for the rural people of all these remote areas.

This renewable energy is protecting the environment and health of rural people by increasing income in rural areas, creating green employment, improving the quality of life, reducing the use of kerosene and reducing deforestation.

It should also be noted that solar systems have been installed in all the cyclone centers in different remote areas of Bangladesh. As a result people from all the communities in the remote and remote rural areas of Bangladesh are getting uninterrupted power supply during floods and other natural calamities.

Shelters now come not only with lights and fans, but also with mobile phone chargers. A small solar pump can also be operated with the solar system, so that the people sheltered in the cyclone centres can have access to clean drinking water.

At COP26 on November 1, 2021, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had announced that Bangladesh has one of the world’s most extensive domestic solar energy programmes, and the country hopes to have 40 per cent of the country’s energy from renewable sources by 2041.

Bangladesh is going to implement the “Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan” – a journey from climate vulnerability to resilience to climate prosperity.

The Bangladesh government has already taken initiatives to develop renewable energy sources. These initiatives include various funding arrangements for awareness development, legal and regulatory framework, institutional development and renewable energy management.

It has set up the Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (SREDA) for the expansion of renewable energy, which is working tirelessly to implement this initiative.

The government has also set a target of providing electricity connection to every rural household in the country, of which renewable energy will play an effective role as the main partner.

Bangladesh’s net-metering policy can be considered as a new way to resolve unsolvable problems. One of the processes that can be considered to help Bangladesh reach the goal of renewable energy is net-metering.

If such a plan is implemented properly, it will allow the customer to use solar energy directly and save on the cost of electricity by supplying additional solar power to the grid.

The Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority of Bangladesh (SREDA) has set a target of setting up about 2,338 MW of renewable energy projects by 2030, ensuring that the share of renewable energy companies in the whole generation mix will be 10%.

Meanwhile, the Solar Irrigation Programme has highlighted the future prospects of Bangladesh’s Agriculture sector. It is a full, neat and clean, pollution free, cost effective, and sustainable system.

Already, 2,100 pumps have been installed in the agricultural field in the rural areas of the country.

If we can replace around 1.3 million shallow (diesel powered) pumps with 100 per cent Solar Irrigation Pumps and Integrate with the National Grid, it will ensure our water and food security, and help accelerate the growth process and variety of the crops. This will also prevent the loss of energy, while backing up the national grid.

Solar Rooftop Megawatt Projects can also be set up in all the economic zones that the Bangladesh government has already taken initiative to create, which will be able to provide a big support and make a significant contribution to the power sector of the country.

The Bangladesh government has also achieved the target of providing everyone with electricity in 2020.

A momentum has been created for solar power, which our rural people have accepted wholeheartedly. Solar and other renewables are in a position, and have played a very important role in complementing government efforts to take electricity to all by 2020.

Mini and mega grids are in focus now, and solar irrigation Pump projects have already been deployed.

It is high time to form a separate Renewable Energy Division which will have a separate allocation in the annual budget every year. It will help to scale up the renewable energy sector in the country and reduce dependency on fossil fuel based electricity generation, which in turn will help green the grid line.

This will create opportunities for new green jobs and will improve the quality of lives of Bangladesh’s people.

We believe that we want to develop Bangladesh as a success story, showing what can be done with renewable energy in a developing country, and take this success to other developing countries, as a source of inspiration where 1 billion energy starved people remain in the dark across the globe.

We need assistance from international communities such as the United Nations and its associate organisations, financial institutions such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), Green Climate Fund, Asian Development Bank and other international Partners and organizations, including regional and international climate institutions:

We need assistance for technology transfer and funding for research to facilitate transfer of clean and green technology at affordable costs to address the impacts of climate change.

Assistance for capacity development is needed as well in areas such as human resources, training, research, planning capacity and other skill development. We need a concessional grant, revolving fund and other different climate funding to achieve our visions.

Our vision will be achieved by establishing and promoting renewable energy projects such as solar home system, solar street light, solar irrigation, utility scale solar, covering all rooftops by solar panels and integrated with national grid, grid integration with solar irrigation system.

We also need to establish solarizing secondary towns and creating climate resilient and migrant friendly towns & cities, use of energy efficient technology, developing energy efficient cooling storage, and electric vehicles.

We will require Development of Public Transport to run through electricity and renewable energy (RE), 100 per cent RE, creating eco-village in the neighborhood of towns, modernizing and diversifying agriculture low carbon technology, led light factory, waste to energy, biogas and organic fertilizer, wind energy, floating solar in different water bodies rivers, lakes, haors, and ponds.

These steps are crucial for exploring a new horizon to scale up the country’s electricity production to ensure the green and sustainable environment for our future generation of Bangladesh.

Dipal C Barua is the founder and chairman of BGEF, and president of BSREA.