News about Solar, Wind and alternative green power technologies

The strong step taken to urge sustainable energy will practically protect the environment as alternative sources of energy are going to be harnessed. There will be a shift away from over-exploited conventional energy sources. The use of sophisticated technology to produce, transmit and convert electricity will decrease wastage of energy. This is likely going to safeguard the environment from extensive pollution emitted by fossil fuel.

It becomes fundamental to integrate renewable energy across categories of populations. The poorer countries should also be part in the transformation agenda. Most energy projects are in the richer countries and are promoted mainly through loans, grants and other forms of assistance. Small-scale clean technology must reach parts of the world where technology is infrequent and referred to as a luxury that most must go without. Intelligence and commitment are required on the part of investors and government to make this a reality.

In Bangladesh, clean technology is taking birth. Similar projects have multiple positive aspects such as reducing carbon emission, and it also gives ‘you’ the sovereign benefit to contribute to make the world a better place to live in. The government is the prime source for this alteration. They are providing incentives for private investors. It is expected that green technology will stand for 5 percent of electricity supply by 2015 and this will increase to 10 percent by 2020.

The key sources envisaged are biogas, wind, hydropower and solar power, which will be bought by utility companies on purchase agreements. The actual status of energy supply in Bangladesh is that it is dependent on petroleum and natural gas to settle their demand for energy. Alternative sources of energy represent a diminutive portion of the country’s energy supply apart from biomass that has larger contribution.

In respect to national data about the countries growth in demand for energy:

1. Energy Demand has increased by 7.5 percent per year for the last 20 years
2. Approximately 40 percent of the population has credible access to electricity (One of the worse statistics in the world)
3. 11 million people have electricity in Bangladesh
4. There are 8,000 Km of electricity Transmission lines & 256, 000 Km of distribution lines

However, the government is trying to do its best. It has very recently been promoting energy generation from biomass as well as biogas from animal waste, woods, jute sticks and risk husk. The policy used was proposed by Sustainable Energy Development Agency (SEDA). The aim of this institution is to facilitate the development of both small and medium scale provider of energy. The introduction of tax holiday for a period of 15 years has also been awarded as an incentive for the private sector to mingle into renewable energy investments.

Renewable Sources in Bangladesh

The main sources of renewable energy in Bangladesh are Solar, Wind, Biomass and Hydropower. Unfortunately, the level of energy that can be generated from hydropower is limited to the flatness of the land. The speed of the wind and its consistency is highly seasonal, limiting wind energy potentials. The most intricate investment is in the field of solar energy. However, the main barrier remains the price of photovoltaic (PV) systems.

However, biomass accounts for a large portion of the primary sources of energy consumption in Bangladesh. The sources of biomass are as follows; 45 percent comes from agricultural residues, 35 percent from wood and wood waste and 20 percent from animal dung. Today, Biomass supplies approximately 14 percent of the total energy consumption for industrial and commercial use.

Main energy used to cook food is natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, biomass fuel and kerosene. There is a great possibility to use biogas to produce electricity in Bangladesh. There are as many as 15,000 cattle farms and 215,000 poultry farms. These could be used to supply energy to biogas plants. It can thereafter be used for cooking purposes in these same rural areas.

The country has also taken a gigantic move to establish a $1 billion nuclear power plant. It will take up to a decade before the nuclear power plant reaches a capacity of 1000 MW of energy.

The target by the Bangladesh government is to have 10 percent of total energy required, supplied from renewable energy by year 2020. In order to achieve this goal it will have to increase the level of solar systems and establish biogas plants in rural areas. Other possible approach could also be used such as using solar cookers, solar dyer and solar water heating systems.

Source: The Financial Express