Renewable energy has been seen as the alternative to finite energy sources and also as a solution to greenhouse gas problem including carbon emission. Hydel, solar and wind power have figured in this discussion and strategy for quite sometime. Harnessing energy from sea waves has also been mentioned in this connection.
Not all countries are equally endowed with the resources to exploit these potentials for alternative energy. But by now all the options have been tried by different countries in various degrees depending on their advantage. China has made the most of hydel power taking advantage of its mighty rivers with ideal locations. North European countries have made great strikes in harvesting wind power. America is well ahead of other countries in installing solar panels in buildings to capture energy. Other countries have also tapped these sources on a limited scale. As the crisis of climate change looms larger and larger with the passage of time attention is being given more seriously to renewable energy sources for generation of clean energy.
Some of the renewable energy generations depend almost exclusively on government initiative and participation. Hydel power belongs to this category, involving as it does large investment and land acquisition. Solar power technology lends itself to private sector investment but it requires government support in the form of subsidy. The same can be said about wind power. In contrast to hydel power generation these energy sources are divisible and small in size. After initial support from the government these can make their own strides. But the enabling environment has to be there to make them cost-effective and profitable.
In Bangladesh the river network and their gradients are such that the prospect of hydel power generation is limited. The seasonal variation in water flow also renders this option inoperable. Some small dams can be built on rivers in the hill tracts but their economic profitability is uncertain. The prospects of reaping wind power in the coastal areas appear good as strong wind blows through most of the year. But so far no attempt has been made to harvest wind power even on an experimental scale. Community buildings like schools, cyclone shelters, local government offices, food godowns, etc. can be provided with energy from this source. Â
Among the renewable energy sources slow but steady progress has been made in respect of solar energy. Initially introduced by a few NGOs (non-governmental organisations) it caught on with the private sector which saw commercial potential in the venture. The private sector has approached the government for facilitating private investors in solar energy with appropriate incentives and policy support to encourage investment.
The government has recently declared a plan to generate 3108 mw renewable energy by 2021 where solar power will provide 1700 mw of power. At present less than 200 mw of solar energy is produced in the country. Recently, a 200-mw solar project was awarded to a private investor through negotiation, it is learnt. But instead of individual negotiations the private sector wants a general policy and a fixed tariff declaration. According to private investors, a declared policy and fixed tariff is essential to enable them to make accurate calculation about a project. They are confident that if there is a declared policy and a fixed tariff, international firms will be interested to invest in Bangladesh.
Individual negotiations create scope for rent-seeking and manipulation, discouraging private sector investors. The association of private sector solar power investors has recently placed a 15-point recommendation to the government to make project implementation process more transparent. The acceptance of these recommendations will expedite the programme for solar power generation, the association is confident.
The recommendations include setting up project tenure at 25 years instead of 20 years, revoking any license that has not achieved mechanical completion within 18 months, having an assessment and mapping of zonal planning to accept maximum capacity of photo-voltaic (PV) projects across the country. Assurances have been given by the concerned government authority that it is serious about solar energy as its priority on coal-based power generation has been facing difficulties.
If the government is going to give extra focus on solar energy it should formulate appropriate policy and determine an equal tariff structure without further delay. Private investors in the renewable energy sector, particularly those who want to invest in megawatt-size solar energy project, want an equal tariff structure for solar power projects based on clear-cut and concrete policy applicable for all eligible investors instead of individual negotiations. According to the association of private sector solar project investors, the tariff should be between 18 and 20 US cents as solar irradiation in Bangladesh is relatively lower compared to the one in India and the Middle-East. Pointing out that the electricity tariff of a large solar project should be fixed based on the size and duration of project implementation period, the association has emphasised that same tariff should be equally applicable to all the parties for the sake of transparency and fairness. It has pointed out that most countries, including neighbouring India and Thailand and also other countries which have made rapid progress in renewable energy have already declared fixed tariff and concrete policies.
The requirements of the private solar energy sector is clear-cut and simple. If the government is serious about promoting renewable energy generation these should be fulfilled by concrete actions and not by assurances only. Â
 hasnat.hye5@gmail.com
Promoting renewable energy
Hasnat Abdul Hye | Published: October 27, 2015 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2024 06:01:00
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