PMO thrives on green energy

The country's single largest solar power system so far, has been installed at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in a move to encourage green energy expansion.

The system with a peaking capacity of generating 21.6 kilowatts, is now operating on a trial basis, officials of the Power Development Board (PDB) that supervised the installation said yesterday.

"The system has started running very recently," ASM Alamgir Kabir, chairman of PDB, told The Daily Star.

Installed by a local private firm Rahimafrooz Renewable Energy Ltd, for a contract value of about Tk 99 lakh, it now awaits formal inauguration, the officials said.

Energy experts hailed the initiative saying installation of a solar power system at the PMO is indicative of the government's seriousness about increasing power generation through renewable sources, at a time when conventional energy sources such as gas and coal are becoming scarcer.

The move followed a government decision for establishing solar power units in all public and semi-government offices to promote expansion of renewable energy from the sun, wind, biomass, and biogas -- with an aim to meet 5 percent of the country's total power demand by 2015, and 10 percent by 2020.

At present, contribution of renewable energy to overall power generation is less than one percent, with solar power home systems installed mainly in off-grid areas, which is the current leading green energy generator in the country.

By the end of October this year, more than 4 lakh solar power units were installed in different parts of the country generating over 20 megawatts of electricity, according to state-owned financial institution Infrastructure Development Company Ltd (IDCOL).

PDB officials said installation of the solar power system at the PMO is only the beginning for a quick expansion of renewable energy technology to other government and semi-government offices.

Insiders said the newly installed system will supply electricity to three rooms of the Red Zone of PMO, lightening the burden on PDB's power supply.

"It's a fantastic experience. We're extremely happy to be a part of the initiative," said Munawar Misbah Moin, managing director of Rahimafrooz Renewable Energy Ltd, a concern of Rahimafrooz Group.

He said installation of the system has been a landmark in expansion of alternative energy technologies in the country.

PDB officials said Rahimafrooz was awarded the contract based on an open tender, in which the company was the lowest bidder.

Saiful Huque, a Dhaka University professor also general secretary of Bangladesh Solar Energy Society, said the initiative is encouraging for renewable energy promotion in Bangladesh.

"The move indicates that the government is heading towards promotion of green energy," he said.

For future projects, he however said, the government should consider cost-benefit analysis of solar power.

"The government should also focus on use of energy efficient light bulbs and other devices, and encourage maximum use of locally available technologies and components for growth of local industries," he added.