The Centre for Policy Dialogue, or CPD, suggested on Monday raising the share of renewable energy in electricity generation in the Power System Master Plan, or PSMP, which is set to be revised next year.
The research firm also urged the government to go for a downward revision of the country's overall electricity generation demand as the existing surplus in electricity generation stands at 37 per cent.
"In our calculation, overcapacity of generation will be 47 per cent in 2041. Even it may go up to 50 at that time when the country's generation is projected to reach 60,000 megawatts (MW) as per the existing master plan," said CPD'sresearch director Dr Khondker Golam Moazzem.
A maximum of 15 per cent excess capacity can be kept as standard reserve margin for Bangladesh, he argued.
But that limit has already been crossed and it has been creating a huge cost-burden on the state, he said.
CPD executive director Dr Fahmida Khatun and distinguished fellow Dr Mustafizur Rahman also spoke on the occasion.
The centre organised a news conference on "Abandoning Coal in Power Generation: Govt's Initiative and Some Suggestions" through online platform.
The CPD urged the government to avoid 'over-dependency' on electricity generation from coal and LNG, or liquefied natural gas, and generate electricity more from renewable sources.
The unit price of electricity from solar-based power plants is declining and the price of solar PV, photovoltaic, and wind is comparable to or cheaper than LNG in most major markets, said Dr Moazzem.
The government should initiate negotiations with the development partners, investors and joint venture partners to shift focus and resources from coal to renewable energy.
The existing plan reveals 35 per cent electricity generation should come from imported LNG, some 35 per cent from the imported coal, 15 per cent from renewable energy, 10 per cent from nuclear energy and 5.0 per cent from oil, said the CPD official.
He said the government has already initiated to revise the PSMP and cease implementation of some coal-fired power plants that are in pipeline.
But the government should not set up LNG-fired power plants as an alternative to coal-fired plant, which is not a pragmatic solution from economic and environmental points of view, he said.
Bangladesh as a chairman of the Climate Vulnerable Forum made a commitment to generate 100 per cent electricity from renewable energy by 2050.
But the government's current policy-priority does not support living up to that commitment.
The renewable energy must get priority policy-support from the government, which is now absent, he said.
The Sustainable and Renewable Energy Authority, or SREDA, which is responsible for renewable energy promotion, is structurally very weak.
SREDA should be given more authority to achieve success in renewable energy, he said.
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