Cleaner production can cut energy use by 25pc: DCCI

Bangladesh will be able to reduce energy consumption by 25 percent and wastage of resources by 15 percent if a cleaner and efficient production system is introduced in the industrial sector, leaders of Dhaka chamber said yesterday.

As the cost of energy will increase in the future, Bangladesh has to be energy efficient to remain competitive, said Akber Hakim, a director of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), while presenting the keynote at a discussion.

The discussion on “resource efficient cleaner production and its benefits for metal industries” was organised by the DCCI and Metabuild Bangladesh, a European Union-funded project, at the chamber's office.

Hakim said there is a scarcity of primary energy in Bangladesh although the country needs it in multiple industries such as textile, garment, metal, cement, plastic goods, ceramic, fertiliser and power generation.

Efficient use of energy helps businesses become more competitive, encouraging optimum cost of doing business and ensuring energy security, he said.

The “resource efficient cleaner production (RECP)” initiative is a proven approach in many Asian and European countries in achieving industrial efficiency, said Hakim.

RECP is a strategy in tune with sustainable development for processes, products and services to increase efficiency and reduce both costs and risks to humans and the environment.

It makes use of modern machinery and tools to make the optimum and productive use of natural resources, prevent generation of waste and emission, improve management and use of chemicals, and minimise risks.

Metabuild Bangladesh Project Manager ASM Asaduzzaman Patwary said energy security and efficiency were critical challenges for Bangladesh.

Industrialisation in Bangladesh cannot progress and facilitate the expected economic growth without uninterrupted energy supply in the future, he said.

Considering its limited energy resource, Bangladesh can adopt the RECP initiative, which is a holistic approach to enhance environmental performance of industrial enterprises by reducing wastages of resources at the source, he added.