THE GREEN ENERGY BLOG

Bangladesh PM to replace All Diesel-Run Mini Grid and Irrigation Pumps

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SANDWIP, Chittagong, Feb 18 (BSS) – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said her government has a plan to replace all diesel-run mini grid and irrigation pumps with renewable solar power in phases to reduce dependence on fuel-based power.

“As part of the plan, 10 lakh more home solar systems and 20,000 biogas plants would be installed in rural areas of the country through Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL) by the next one year,” she said.

Since 2009, the IDCOL has set up around 10 lakh solar home systems and 12,000 biogas plants, she said, adding high quality organic fertilizers are also being produced from the biogas plants.

The Prime Minister was addressing a function on the occasion of installation of solar home systems and biogas plants under the renewable energy project of IDCOL here.

The use of organic fertilizer is helping improving the fertility of the soil and reducing use of chemical fertilizer, she said asking all concerned to take steps to set up biogas plants in rural areas in a massive way.

Sheikh Hasina said import duty on machinery of solar power has been waived completely, while soft loan and subsidy are being given through IDCOL to consumers to foster use of renewable energy.

“The government through IDCOL has undertaken the renewable energy projects to reach the clean energy to the doorsteps of the people to allow them cook in a clean and hygienic environment,” she said.

The Prime Minister said the solar and biogas plants of IDCOL have created job opportunity for 20,000 people directly and 30,000 people indirectly. In the next one year, she said, 10,000 more people would find their employment in this field.

Sheikh Hasina said her government in 1996 framed the country’s first energy policy placing emphasis on expansion of use of renewable energy. In this purpose, IDCOL has been established in 1997 to reach the electricity to those areas where people still have no access to power, she said.

Through the IDCOL, she said, various measures are being taken under public and private initiatives for development of
infrastructure and providing financial and technical support to take renewable energy projects.

Terming the electricity as an essential component for development, she said the pace of development get stalled without uninterrupted supply of power. The government has taken steps for construction of mini-grid through IDCOL, and first one of 100-kilowatt has been constructed in Sandwip, she said.

Focusing on country’s present power situation, the Prime Minister said power generation rose to 4,300 megawatt from 1,600 megawatt during the previous spell of her government from 1996 to 2001.

But, she said, the production fell down to 3,200-MW in 2009 as the BNP-Jamaat alliance government and the subsequent caretaker government did not take any steps for power generation.

Soon after taking office this time, she said her government has undertaken many short, medium and long-term plans for cutting the gap between demand and supply, and could add about 3,000-MW power to national grid over the last three years.

She expressed her firm optimism about fulfilling the demand of power within this year and said if everything moves rightly, power generation would increase to 7000 megawatt by 2013 and 20,000 megawatt by 2021.

To solve the power crisis, Sheikh Hasina said initiative has been taken to establish coal-based and nuclear power plants as well as producing solar and wind power. Besides, steps were also taken to import power from neighbouring countries, she said.

PM’s Energy Adviser Dr Tawfique-e-Elahi Chowdhury also spoke at the function, while Primary and Mass Education Minister Dr Afsarul Amin and State Minister for Home Advocate Shamsul Haque Tuku were present.

IDCOL Chairman and ERD Secretary Iqbal Mahmud presided over the function held on the Upazila Complex premises, while Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of IDICOL Islam Sharif delivered the welcome address.

Later, Sheikh Hasina visited an exhibition of solar home system and biogas plants.

Earlier, the Prime Minister held a meeting with senior officials of the upazila and inquired about implementation progress of the projects undertaken in the last three years of the present government.

At the meeting, she asked the officials to work with utmost sincerity by giving highest priority to the public interest.