'100% renewable energy coverage for Bangladesh'
Coastal Development Partnership, Bread For The World, University of Technology Sydney, World Future Council jointly conducted the study "100% Renewable Energy for Bangladesh."
With a 341GW renewable energy potential, hundred percent renewable energy coverage in Bangladesh by 2050 is technically feasible, economically viable and socially beneficial without using agricultural or forest land, says a study report.
Coastal Development Partnership, Bread For The World, University of Technology Sydney, World Future Council jointly conducted the study "100% Renewable Energy for Bangladesh."
To launch the study report, Coastal Development Partnership has organised a seminar on Tuesday at a city hotel.
The study finding says that Bangladesh has around 341,000-megawatt renewable potential.
Bangladesh has almost 6,250 square kilometres of land available for installing solar photovoltaics (PV) where 156,000 megawatts of solar power can potentially be produced through utility solar farms.
For using this potential, the report suggests increasing annual solar PV installations to around 5,000 megawatts between 2025 and 2035.
However, Bangladesh's renewable energy generation is 500 megawatts now.
The study also revealed that the country also has 150,000-megawatt wind energy potential, including 134,000-megawatt offshore and 16,000-megawatt onshore wind power potential.
Planning Minister MA Mannan spoke as the chief guest at the seminar while Power Division's Senior Secretary Dr Ahmed Kaikaus and Secretary of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Abdullah Al Mohsin Chowdhury spoke as the special guest.
"We need a lot of energy; there's no doubt about that. And we are trying all alternative sources of energy; renewable is one of those," said Mannan.
However, Kaikaus said: "The report unrealistically says that the country has 6,250 square kilometres of land. We are desperately looking for land to set up solar projects, but there's no unused land."
The PKSF Chairman Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad chaired the programme. National Skills Development Authority Executive Chairman Md Faruque Hossain and Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority Chairman Md Helal Uddin spoke at the programme, among others.