Realtors facing difficulty in meeting govt conditions
Saturday, 14 May 2011
Kamrun Nahar
Realtors of the country have differed with the government's condition to install rooftop solar panel to generate three per cent of power demand of a building for getting new power connections. "We welcome the government's decision to ask the developers for keeping provisions for rooftop solar panels for saving power. But it should not be applicable to already completed housing projects. The buildings of the upcoming projects may be designed that way," Toufiq M Seraj, managing director of Sheltech (Pvt) Ltd told the FE. He said at least 10,000 flats are in the pipeline for handover and another 10,000 are under construction which were not designed keeping the solar panel provision. "The government should not impose the solar provision in these buildings. May be, the upcoming buildings will be designed in line with the government condition". "Installation of solar panels involves substantial cost which the flat buyers will not agree to pay. Also space will be a problem to keep the batteries in these buildings as it will need additional areas and the maintenance cost will be a burden on the flat owners," he added. The electricity connections were also put on hold between April and October 2010, before starting the same in last November on a limited scale. It will again start from May 15, upon fulfillment of some conditions. "We will strongly raise the issue with the authorities concerned and we expect the latter will consider our problems," said the REHAB official on condition of anonymity. Bangladesh -- one of the world's 48 least developed nations -- has unveiled plans to meet five per cent of its total power demand from renewable sources such as solar and wind turbine by 2015 and 10 per cent by 2020. At present the country's electricity demand is 6,000 megawatt, which is projected to rise to 10,000 mw by 2015 and 15,000 mw by 2020. State minister for power, energy and mineral resources Muhammad Enamul Huq recently said people at off-grid areas are using costly solar energy who use less energy. On the other hand, well-off urban people using highest grid power paying cheaper rate. Bangladesh has completed installation solar home system at off-grid areas in about one million house. Saiful Huque, a Dhaka University professor and an expert on renewable energy, said the country does not have enough land to make room for hundreds of solar panels needed to generate one megawatt power. The urban rooftops can be used for that purpose, he added. Abdur Rahim Khan, chairman of Index Development Ltd said the governemnt's decision is very good as solar energy will not only save power consumption but it is hygienic too. "We will comply with the government's instructions and we hope the government will take care of our problems in implementing any new concept," he added. Per unit cost of grid-tied solar power without battery used in daytime will be Tk 16 to Tk 18 while it will be Tk 30 to 40 for the back-up system installed with batteries," said Mr Saiful clarifying the misconception of the per unit cost of solar power. He said there must be a policy first on solar energy and awareness programme on solar culture as there are psychological, social and technical barrier in implementing solar energy project in the country. "There may be area-based solar grid to which the government should give subsidy, or extend tax waiver for those who will install solar panel in his building or the central bank may provide loans with low interest," said the DU professor. Experts say cash subsidy is not a good option for promoting solar power in private sector as there will remain chances of corruption. Islam Sharif, CEO of Infrastructure Development Company Ltd (IDCOL) in a recent discussion also emphasized on formulating a regulatory framework. He also said that the private sector will never be encouraged if solar energy production is not profitable. Experts say solar energy will not be as costly as its now and will be much lower after five years.
Realtors of the country have differed with the government's condition to install rooftop solar panel to generate three per cent of power demand of a building for getting new power connections. "We welcome the government's decision to ask the developers for keeping provisions for rooftop solar panels for saving power. But it should not be applicable to already completed housing projects. The buildings of the upcoming projects may be designed that way," Toufiq M Seraj, managing director of Sheltech (Pvt) Ltd told the FE. He said at least 10,000 flats are in the pipeline for handover and another 10,000 are under construction which were not designed keeping the solar panel provision. "The government should not impose the solar provision in these buildings. May be, the upcoming buildings will be designed in line with the government condition". "Installation of solar panels involves substantial cost which the flat buyers will not agree to pay. Also space will be a problem to keep the batteries in these buildings as it will need additional areas and the maintenance cost will be a burden on the flat owners," he added. The electricity connections were also put on hold between April and October 2010, before starting the same in last November on a limited scale. It will again start from May 15, upon fulfillment of some conditions. "We will strongly raise the issue with the authorities concerned and we expect the latter will consider our problems," said the REHAB official on condition of anonymity. Bangladesh -- one of the world's 48 least developed nations -- has unveiled plans to meet five per cent of its total power demand from renewable sources such as solar and wind turbine by 2015 and 10 per cent by 2020. At present the country's electricity demand is 6,000 megawatt, which is projected to rise to 10,000 mw by 2015 and 15,000 mw by 2020. State minister for power, energy and mineral resources Muhammad Enamul Huq recently said people at off-grid areas are using costly solar energy who use less energy. On the other hand, well-off urban people using highest grid power paying cheaper rate. Bangladesh has completed installation solar home system at off-grid areas in about one million house. Saiful Huque, a Dhaka University professor and an expert on renewable energy, said the country does not have enough land to make room for hundreds of solar panels needed to generate one megawatt power. The urban rooftops can be used for that purpose, he added. Abdur Rahim Khan, chairman of Index Development Ltd said the governemnt's decision is very good as solar energy will not only save power consumption but it is hygienic too. "We will comply with the government's instructions and we hope the government will take care of our problems in implementing any new concept," he added. Per unit cost of grid-tied solar power without battery used in daytime will be Tk 16 to Tk 18 while it will be Tk 30 to 40 for the back-up system installed with batteries," said Mr Saiful clarifying the misconception of the per unit cost of solar power. He said there must be a policy first on solar energy and awareness programme on solar culture as there are psychological, social and technical barrier in implementing solar energy project in the country. "There may be area-based solar grid to which the government should give subsidy, or extend tax waiver for those who will install solar panel in his building or the central bank may provide loans with low interest," said the DU professor. Experts say cash subsidy is not a good option for promoting solar power in private sector as there will remain chances of corruption. Islam Sharif, CEO of Infrastructure Development Company Ltd (IDCOL) in a recent discussion also emphasized on formulating a regulatory framework. He also said that the private sector will never be encouraged if solar energy production is not profitable. Experts say solar energy will not be as costly as its now and will be much lower after five years.