DHAKA: The Bangladesh government targeted generating 697 megawatt (mw) of electricity from renewable energy sources by 2019 aimed at joining the path to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the country.
Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid said that the government fixed another target for 10 per cent power to be procured from the renewable energy sources by 2020 and onward by following the Renewable Energy Policy, said State Minister for Power,
“As a matter of fact, both the figures are parts of a total 3,100 mw electricity to be generated by 2021 under an initiative already taken up by the government,” he said.
As much as 433 MW of electricity is now being generated from the renewable energy sources in the country.
The present government has already brought around 20 million people under electricity facility by installing 5.0 million Solar Home Systems across the country, the largest in the world as described by Nasrul Hamid.
According to data from various stakeholders, some 5,000,000 solar systems, solar irrigation 441, solar drinking water systems 122, biogas plants 45,070, improved cook stoves 3,022,213, improved rice parboiling systems 75 have been installed in the country.
He added, the government took up project to install solar panel having 145 mw of power by 2018, while other renewable energy initiatives would generate 552 mw of electricity within 2019.
An official of the ministry said the government formed Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (SREDA) for promoting sustainable energy and targeted to generate electricity 2,000 mw in 2021 and 4,000 mw in 2030.
The present renewable energy and energy efficiency scenario of Bangladesh is 423 mw and renewable energy share reached 3.45 per cent.
The energy efficiency master plan targeted saving power by 15 per cent by 2021 and 20 per cent by 2030 and the SREDA will play a pivotal role in achieving these targets, he said.
The official, however, said Bangladesh aspiring to become a middle income country by 2021, is expecting gradual increase in energy production and energy use to meet its demand and 78 per cent people are enjoying electricity access and there is a plan to bring all citizens under power access by 2021.
Considering the climate change issue and its effect, the government is also implementing climate-friendly initiatives and working with the national policy to protect the environment from any natural disasters that may occur in future, he said.
The government signed an agreement to install a solar park having capacity of 200 mw solar power at Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar.
The solar park would start power production by June 2018 along with 30 mw from Rangachhara in Rangpur.
Besides, the state-run IDCOL started the SHS programme in January 2003 to fulfill basic electricity requirement of the off-grid rural people of Bangladesh, while supplementing the government’s vision of ensuring access to electricity for all citizens of Bangladesh by 2021.
So far, the IDCOL approved 18 solar mini-grid projects, among which seven are operational while the rest are under construction. The mini-grid project successfully created access to low- emission electricity for almost 5,000 rural households in the country. It further targets installing 50 solar mini-grid by 2018 and approved 459 solar irrigation pumps, of which 324 are already in operation.
The remaining pumps are expected to come into operation shortly. The programme has been acclaimed as one of the largest and the fastest-growing off-grid renewable energy programme in the world, the organisation said.
