1. Introduction:
Bangladesh
is experiencing an acute shortage of electric power that is likely to be
worsening day by day which stresses the need for the deployment of renewable
energy resources to extenuate this energy crisis. In Bangladesh, there are many natural resources such
as coal, gas, petrol. The main source of energy in Bangladesh is Natural gas
(24%) which is likely to be depleted by the year 2020. Then Bangladeshis people
will be faced some problem. In this case renewable energy helps the people of
Bangladesh. People have a large unsatisfied demand of energy, which is growing
by 10% yearly. Bangladesh has a vast potential for renewable energy and the
natural availability of alternative energy creates opportunities of Growth in
power sector; the substantial availability of renewable energy
sources in the form of solar, biomass, biogas, hydropower and wind energy can
provide opportunities of sustainable energy based development. Bangladesh is
one of the low energy consuming countries of the world. The national grid could
so far cover only 35 per cent of the total population, and only 3 per cent
people are enjoying piped gas supply. About 72 per cent people of Bangladesh
live in rural areas, where the situation is worse and renewable energy is
considered to be the right choice for providing clean energy to these remote
settlements.
2. Present Scenario of Electricity
Production:
Bangladesh, with its 160 million people
in a land mass of 147,570sq km is an emerging economy of South Asia
successfully maintaining sustained economic growth of least 6% since last
decade resulted a considerable high electricity demand each year. A booming economic growth,
rapid urbanization and increased industrialization and development have
increased the country's demand for electricity. Presently, 62% of the total
population (including renewable energy) has access to electricity and per
capita generation is 321 kWH, which is very low compared to other developing
countries. In Bangladesh, nearly 72% of the
population lives in rural areas and renewable energy is considered to be the
right choice for providing clean energy to these remote settlements. Power
generation in Bangladesh was mono-fuel dependent, i.e. indigenous natural gas
since 2009 considering its apparent huge availability. About 89% of generated
power comes from natural gas and the rest is from liquid fuel, coal and
hydropower. The present share of renewable energy is only 0.5%. As per election
manifesto of the present government electricity generation in the country would
be 7000 MW by the year 2013, 8000 MW by 2015 and 20,000 MW by the year 2021. The government aims to
generate additional 15,000 MW electricity, within 2016 under short, medium and
long term plan. The government has further extended its vision targeting the
upcoming years up to 2030 and prepared the Power System Master Plan 2010
(PSMP). This plan states that in 2030 the demand of power would be around
34,000 MW while the generation capacity would be about 39,000 MW. Presently,
the generation capacity is nearly 9,713 MW(September,2013) which implies that
much endeavor is required to achieve the goal.
3. Overview on
Different Renewable Energy Sources:
3.1. Solar Power
 |
| Recent Renewable Energy Situation |
Solar radiation varies from season to season in Bangladesh. Bangladesh
receives an average daily solar radiation of 4-6.5 kWh/m2.
In a recent study conducted by Renewable
Energy Research Centre, it is found that average solar radiation varies
between4 to 6.5 kWhm-2 day-1 and maximum amounts of radiation are available in
the month of March-April and minimum in December-January. So from the above
figure and discussion we can say that there is a good prospect of harnessing
solar power.
The vision is targeted to be
achieved through a concerted effort of Bangladesh Government involving a number
of government ministries and their affiliated agencies. In addition, there
would be a strong involvement of private sector (more than 50%) in the project
implementation.
Under this initiative there would be two types of projects:
- Business type involving contribution from beneficiaries and private sector management
- Social Service type aiming to implement government's social commitment
3.1.1. The snapshot of the program is as follows: Investments projects are, 1. Installation of solar irrigation pumps, 2,
Installation of mini grid solar system, 3, Solar park, 4, Roof-top solar power
solution. Social sector projects are 1, Solar electrification at railway
station, 2, Solar electrification at Union Information Services Centers, 3,
Solar led street lighting, 4.Solar electrification in rural health center5.Installation
of Solar Home System in Religious Establishments, 6.Solar Electrification in
Remote Education Centers, 7. Installation of Solar Home System in Government /
Semi-government offices.
3.2 Biogas:
Organic wastes such as dead plant and animal material. Animal dung, and Kitchen waste can be converted into a gaseous fuel called biogas. Biogas originates from biogenic material and is a type of biofuel. Major components of biogas are 40-70% methane (CH4), 30-60% carbon dioxide (CO2) and other gases (1-5%). It also contains several trace gases like Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), Nitrogen (N2), Ammonia (NH3) and Carbon monoxide (CO). A biogas based electricity generation system consists of a digester, a biogas collection tank, a generator as well as the piping and controls required for successful operation. The biogas is produced in the anaerobic digester, where anaerobic fermentation takes place which is provided every day with livestock manure in the form of cattle dung.
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| Biogas plant |
Biogas production plays an important role in Bangladesh since the necessary resources are plentiful. The Government along with several NGOs are working together for development of power production from Biogas. Grameen Shakti is one of the most uttered NGO in field of biogas and has completed several works. They have completed 13,500 biogas plants. Recently Seed Bangla Foundation has proposed a 25 KW Biogas based Power plant in Rajshahi. IDCOL A Government owned Investment Company fixed a target to set up 37,669 biogas plants in Bangladesh by 2012, under its National Domestic Biogas and Manure Programmers (NDBMP). Bangladesh has a wonderful climate for biogas production. The ideal temperature for biogas is around 35 deg. The temperature in Bangladesh usually varies from 6 deg. to 40 deg. But the inside temperature of a biogas digester remains at 22 deg.-30 deg., which is very near to the optimum requirement.
3.2.1. Biogas Based Electricity Generation
Plants:
IDCOL is financing setting up of
three biogas based electricity generation plants, one in Mymensingh and two in
Gazipur, and one organic fertilizer plant in Gazipur by Paragon Agro Ltd.
Electricity generated from these plants will be supplied to the adjacent
poultry farms of Paragon Poultry Ltd. (PPL) at BDT 4 / kWh, while organic
fertilizer will be sold in the market at BDT 15 per 1 Kg packet and BDT 400 per
40 Kg packet Total project cost is BDT 149.40 million.
3.2.2.National Domestic Biogas and Manure
Program:
Infrastructure Development
Company Limited (IDCOL) is implementing National Domestic Biogas and Manure
Programme (NDBMP) with support from GoB, SNV- Netherlands Development
Organization and Kfw. Under the project a total of 37,269 domestic sized biogas
plants have been financed during the period 2006-2012. The overall objective of
the NDBMP is to further develop and disseminate domestic biogas plants in rural
areas with the ultimate goal to establish a sustainable and commercial biogas
sector in Bangladesh.
3.3. Wind:
Bangladesh is in the midst of a severe energy and power supply
crisis; one of the worst in South Asia. However, the government is now looking
to explore the potential of wind energy, particularly along the country’s 724
km long coastline. Wind energy can potentially generate more than 2000
megawatts of electricity in the coastal regions. The growth of wind energy in
the underdeveloped, coastal areas of the country holds hope for poor, isolated
communities that are not connected to the national electricity grid and who are
also unlikely to receive grid connection in the near future due to the high
cost of establishing infrastructure, and growing scarcity of traditional energy
inputs. The Bangladesh Power Development Board has estimated that wind energy
can contribute to 10% of the energy needs of the country. The Board has also
calculated the cost to generate one kWh from wind energy to be about half the
cost of generating an equivalent unit of power from solar energy. The expansion
of the potential of wind energy will be crucial in order for Bangladesh to
achieve its national vision of providing electricity to all of its population
by 2020.
3.4. Biomass:
Bangladesh is an agricultural country and has strong potential for biomass
gasification based electricity. Cattle dung,
agricultural residue, poultry dropping, water hyacinth, rice husk etc. used for
biomass power generation are available in Bangladesh. More common biomass resources
available in the country are rice husk, crop residue, wood, jute stick, animal
waste, municipal waste, sugarcane bagasse etc. Exploration of these resources
for electricity generation is still at preliminary stage.
3.5. Micro hydro:
The Karnafuly Hydro
Power Station is the only hydropower plant in the country with a capacity of
230 MW. It is operated by BPDB (Bangladesh Power Development Board). BPDB is considering
increasing production up to 330MW. Micro hydro and mini hydro have limited potential in
Bangladesh with exception of Chittagong Hill Tracts. Hydropower assessments
have identified some possible sites from 10 kW to 5 MW implementation of which
is still at large.Other
renewable energy sources include bio-fuels, gasohol, geothermal, river current,
wave and tidal energy. Potentialities of these resources are yet to be explored.
Resources
|
Potential
|
Entities
Involved
|
Solar
|
Enormous
|
Public and Private sector
|
Wind
|
Resource mapping required
|
Public sector / PPP
|
Hydro
|
Limited potential for micro or
mini hydro max. (5 MW).
Est. hydro potential: approx. 500 MW |
Mainly public entities
|
Domestic Biogas System
|
8.6 Million Cubic Meter of Biogas
|
Public and Private sector
|
Rice Husk based Biomass
gasification Power Plant
|
300 MW considering 2 kg of husk
consumption
per kWh |
Mainly private sector
|
Cattle waste based Biogas power
plants
|
350 MW considering 0.752 m3 of
biogas consumption per kWh.
|
Mainly private sector
|
Other
renewable energy sources include bio-fuels, gasohol, geothermal, river current,
wave and tidal energy
Good Job.......
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