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Solar energy a strong contender for power generation: report

Star Business Report
Solar energy and imported electricity would be a commercially viable alternative to power generation based on imported fossil fuel for Bangladesh, according to a report released yesterday.
The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), a US-based organisation, prepared the report suggesting Bangladesh re-evaluate its 'exceptionally grand but entirely subsidised plans for ever more imported thermal power capacity'.
Die report titled 'Bangladesh Electricity Transition: A Diverse, Secure and Deflationary Way Forward' was unveiled yesterday by Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon at a press conference yesterday at the National Press Club on behalf of IEEFA.
Citing the falling prices of solar panels, the report said Bangladesh should immediately target a 1 gigawatt annual utilityscale solar installation programme that would see 10GW of cumulative capacity operational by 2024-25.
Citing unsubsidised utility-scale solar tenders, it said electricity tariffs have been as low as $64 per megawatt hour (MWh) in India, $24/MWh in UAE, $29/MWh in Chile and $33/MWh in Mexico in 2016.
"The trend of reducing auction tenders for solar PV in India can be repeated in Bangladesh," IEEFA said, adding that the government's objective to ensure access to electricity for all by 2021 can be achieved by redoubling efforts on solar home systems.
Bangladesh's plan to double fossil fuel generation capacity to 24GWby2021 would instil a long-term dependence on fossil fuel imports. "Fossil fuel subsidies and the electricity sector losses are a growing drag on economic growth in Bangladesh," the IEEFA said in the report.
The IEEFA offered an electricity plan that focuses on generating only 18 percent of electricity based on fuel imports, with a further 9 percent coming from electricity imports from India and Bhutan.
"Our research models an affordable, more sustainable and faster-to-implement alternative electricity plan for the coming decade," said Tim Buckley, lEEFA's director of Energy Finance Studies, Australasia, and lead author of the report. The key ingredients would enhance grid efficiency, energy efficiency and build a ten-fold increase in solar energy in all its forms, he said.
An investment programme that prioritises renewable energy, grid and energy efficiency, and increased electricity imports from India and Bhutan would best serve Bangladesh in terms of energy security in comparison to heavy reliance on fossil fuel imports. It would also deliver a significantly larger, long-term cost-competitive energy supply, said the IEEFA.
A government endorsement of a transformational $15-20 billion investment programme in renewables, smart grid and energy efficiency by 2024-25 is likely to find strong international financial system support
"We have huge potential to tap solar energy," said Saifiii Huque, professor and director of the Institute of Energy of the
University of Dhaka, citing that it is possible to generate 5-6 MW of electricity through rooftop panels. He said days are not that far when the size of solar panels wil I reduce and thus condense the space requirement for installation.
The falling prices of solar have widened the scope for Bangladesh to generate increased amount of electricity through renewable sources, said Badrul Imam, professor at the Department of Geology, Dhaka University. The price at Rs 4-5 per kilowatt is cheaper than the cost of coal, he said.
"The government gives importance to the costly fuels instead of cost effective sources," he said, adding that the dependence on coal would be dangerous.
Other than solar, Bangladesh has huge potential for electricity generation from wastes, said BD Rahmatullah, former director general of power cell of the ministry of power, energy & mineral resources.
"Renewable energy has not got the amount of attention it deserves. We have to bring renewable energy in the mainstream of electricity generation," said Anu Muhammad, member-secretary of the National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports.
Columnist Syed Abul Maksud said the energy policies and plans taken by the government would be suicidal.
"These are taken to serve the interest of a seaion of bureaucrats and a seaion of politicians. We want energy, but we do not want any fuel or technology that harms environment," he said.
BAPA Joint Seaetary Sharif Jamil moderated the discussion.