Bangladesh to develop skills in renewable energy applications

Bangladesh is one of the fastest growing markets of renewable energy, said experts at the launching  of the Institute of Clean Energy Training and Research.

Speakers in the session said the country’s private sector played the main role in expanding the use of renewable energy, particularly solar energy.

The chief guest of the ceremony, additional secretary to the Power Division Taposh Kumar Roy said, despite having many constraints, use of renewable energy was growing fast in Bangladesh.

Infrastructure Development Company Ltd chief executive officer and managing director Islam Sharif said the IDCOL presently was selling 3,500 units of solar home system a month in rural areas and the sales volume was expected to increase to 5,000 units within the next few months.

The IDCOL through a number of non-governmental organisations has distributed around one million units of solar home system with a combined storage capacity of more than 40 mega watts of power for a few hours.

Taposh also said the private sector played the pioneering role in expanding the use of renewable energy while the government came later with a commitment of providing favourable policy support.

He said the cabinet approved a proposal for forming a sustainable and renewable energy development authority and amending the Renewable Energy Policy, 2008 to institute effective policy and regulatory framework for expanding the use of renewable energy in the country.

Soon, the government also will launch a massive project under which 500MW power would be generated by using solar power, he said.

Swisscontact national officer Belayet Hossain said lack of technically skilled people was an obstacle to continuous use of renewable energy.

As an example, he said around 40 per cent of biogas plants had become inoperative due to different technical problems.

The institute is a venture of Prokaushali Sangsad Ltd that aims at developing a workforce including qualified entrepreneurs trained in renewable energy and efficient use of energy in the country.

Prokaushali Sangsad Ltd director Hasna J Khan said the institute would develop human resources for installing renewable energy applications in rural areas, efficient energy management planning for industrial sector, providing inputs to support the national renewable energy and efficient energy policy, and improving the current market with better technology and quality control.