| Nearly 300 megawatts of power can easily be generated from solar energy to feed the hungry national grid if solar-power systems are installed on rooftops of 20,000 multistoried buildings in Dhaka, experts say.
They said only coordinated efforts both by the government and non-governmental organisations with the participation of academics and professionals, working on this sector, in government's Renewable Energy Policy can bring the success in introducing solar-power system in urban areas.
"We appreciate government initiative and budgetary measures to ensure easier access to solar-power system and the government should implement it as there is no alternative other than proceeding towards renewable energy," Prof Dr NC Bhowmik, Director of Renewable Energy Research Centre, Dhaka University, said at a press briefing yesterday.
He said government's Renewable Energy Policy adopted in December last should be successfully implemented. "For successful implementation of the policy the government should involve renewable energy-based academics and professionals to avoid wrong steps from non-professional and amateur guidance."
Prof Bhowmik said the government would have to come forward with 50 per cent subsidy on solar pump and bank loan with minimum interest rate to cut dependence on the national grid as nearly 760-megawatt power is being utilised each year for irrigation purpose.
Earlier, reading out a written paper, Prof Dr Saiful Huque, Secretary of Bangladesh Solar Energy Society, urged the government to make arrangement for easy-term loan with small interest from banks for self-financed renewable-energy projects.
He said the government can purchase additional generated power for national grid at high rate so that people feel encouraged to install solar-power systems in urban areas.
Prof Saiful demanded making all equipment of renewable energy, including battery, either produced locally or imported, tax-free. He also demanded special allocation for research and development on renewable energy, including allocation for university-level training and popularisation of renewable energy.
Earlier, Finance Minister AMA Muhith in his budget speech proposed withdrawal of all types of TAX and VAT on renewable-energy equipment for the next fiscal budget.
On the other hand, Bangladesh Bank declared a revolving fund of Tk 200 crore with 5 per cent interest on renewable-energy projects.
Bangladesh Solar Energy Society considers these steps as progressive and time-worthy, says Prof Saiful Huque. "If the government fulfils this tax-withdrawal policy, there is a realistic chance of achieving targeted goal of 10 per cent electricity from renewable energy by the year 2020," he told the journalists.
It is learnt that nearly 300,000 solar-power systems are now meeting power demand in rural areas, of which 240,000 systems are installed by Grameen Shokhti alone. |