Small SHS units gain popularity among rural people

The companies installing the solar home systems in remote power off grid zones have set a new trend in using light emitting diode lamps aiming to save money and energy, renewable energy sources said.
The renewable energy firms estimate that currently more than 6 million high efficiency light emitting diode (LED) lamps are being used in the coastal districts where the government is yet to go for grid expansion.
According to Infrastructure Development Company Ltd (IDCOL), villagers use more than 0.15 million new generation lamps every month.
Use of the latest green environment-friendly lamps is not only becoming popular among the rural poor people but also among the urban people gradually, the sources said.
Dipal Chandra Barua, president of Bangladesh Solar Renewable Energy Association (BSREA) said, "Use of high efficiency lamps by the villagers is persuading them to purchase small units of SHS."
He said as the high efficiency lamps help save more than 85 per cent of energy than incandescent and other lamps, the villagers in the off-grid zones can operate electric fans, televisions and other electric home appliances at the surplus charges saved in the batteries coming from solar panels.
If LED lamps are widely used, he said, it will help save a good amount of electricity in grid zones.
Currently, 47 organisations are working under the IDCOL to help the poor people get electricity despite not having national grid power connections.
Foreign donor agencies in cooperation with the government are helping the villagers get renewable electricity by installing mini solar grids in the coastal districts.
According to IDCOL statistics, the people at the beginning used to purchase medium and large SHS to run television, high energy consuming lamps and others at high cost.
After introduction of energy efficiency lamps, sales of SHSs are increasing day by day due to low power consumption.
The BSREA president said the LED lamps are not only saving energy but also saving money. Prices of such lamps have been reduced by more than 60 per cent in the last two years, he added.
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