The energy ministry is eyeing on winning a slice of the US$ 10 billion global clean technology fund to rehabilitate the country's old gas-fired power plants to reduce energy consumption and cut pollution, officials said.
"The ministry has assigned state-owned Petrobangla to prepare suitable projects to get a portion of the $10 billion fund pledged by developed countries for implementing projects to cut pollution and save energy in the developing nations," a senior energy ministry official said.
Acknowledging the new assignment the Petrobangla chairman Mr Jalal Ahmed said: "We are now working to prepare suitable projects for obtaining funds from abroad to upgrade our technology and ensure smooth energy supply and reduce pollution."
He said the country's old and out-of-order gas-fired plants could be rehabilitated under the projects, which would reduce energy consumption substantially.
The developed countries recently announced to support a $10-billion clean technology fund to help developing countries cut pollution, save energy and fight global warming.
The developed world, especially the G-8 countries, have announced the clean technology fund to support projects that deploy technologies that can cut emissions, increase efficiency and save energy in developing countries.
Among them the Bush administration has sought $2 billion for the fund from the Congress.
Britain has offered about $1.56 billion, and Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda announced up to $1.2 billion.
A senior Power Development Board (PDB) official said that the generation capacity of the old power units has declined awfully and these plants are emitting toxic gas resulting in pollution of environment alarmingly.
These plants require replacement by new ones not only to control toxic gas emission for a sound environment but also to enhance electricity supply significantly, he added.
The old power plants are also consuming higher than expected gas putting pressure on the country's limited gas reserves, said.
The country has three power plants more than 40 years of age, five plants between 35 and 39 years of age, three plants 30-34 years of age, seven power plants 25-29 years of age and 11 plants between 20 and 24 years of age.
The generation capacity of the old units has decreased by 30 to 50 per cent over the period.
Substantial funds are being spent for maintenance purposes of those units every year, said the PDB official.
The installed capacity of all the power plants in the country was around 5300MW while their de-rated capacity now stands at 4300MW as the old power plants are losing their generation capacity.
