Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) is likely to get 100 megawatts (MWs) electricity from its renewable energy projects by next year, sources said.
The state owned Bangladesh Power Development Corporation (BPDC) has taken three large and one small solar renewable energy projects, two wind and one wind-fuel hybrid projects at different places across the country, an official said.
BPDB's renewable energy research and development director Shafiqul Islam said, "We are already in the final stage to provide approval for installing a three megawatt and a 30 megawatt solar power plant to be built under Independent Power Plant (IPP) project."
He said, "We have also taken another 60 megawatt solar power plant project in Rangunia and already a 600 kilovolt solar project is about to be completed in Salna of Sunamganj."
The BPDB official said besides solar projects, the power development authority is also working to install two wind turbine based power plants in Feni and Kutubdia to generate wind renewable energy.
When all the projects including two other wind projects in Kaptai and Hatiya are commissioned by next year, these together would generate more than 100 megawatts power from renewable sources under the PDB, he said.
Another source in the power development office said the BPDB is implementing the wind turbine based renewable source power plants with the financial support of Asian Development Bank (ADB).
He said Bangladesh has also received financing from the Climate Change Trust Fund (CCTF) to install a renewable power plant and already several projects are going on under the power development board.
The BPDB source also said the three megawatt solar plant in Sharishabari is already at the final stage of giving approval to a private party under IPP. They will generate power and sell it to the government.
He said the two other big solar projects - of 30 megawatt and 60 megawatt would also be installed under the IPP where a private party would invest money and sell power to the government at a fixed per unit rate.
A source in the renewable energy department of the BPDB said as per estimates per unit cost of renewable energy would be Tk15 and it is more profitable that fuel fired power plants.
He said though the initial investment in solar power projects is more than fuel-powered plants but in the long run renewable ones are profitable and viable as its source of energy is sun, light and wind.
He said renewable power plants do not require maintenance, fuel and other expenses after their installation.
The power development board has given emphasis on generating renewable energy as it is safe, cheaper and environment friendly, another source in the renewable energy division said.
He said by the end of the year 2014 the government would plan and take steps to generate more power from renewable sources.
© 2024 - All Rights with The Financial Express
