“Scarcity of land is no longer a problem for solar energy as technologies are improving and different forms of new systems like floating solar and rooftop solar are coming up with more efficiency,” said Munawar Moin, president of Solar Module Manufacturers’ Association of Bangladesh (SMMAB).
Forum for Energy Reporters Bangladesh (FERB) and SMMAB jointly organised the seminar titled ‘Net Metering: Opportunities and Challenges’ at the Jatiya Press Club.
Held with FERB chairman Arun Karmaker in the chair, the seminar was addressed, among others, by Prime Minister’s Energy Adviser Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, Power Cell director general Mohammad Hossain, executive director of Northern Electricity Supply Company Limited (Nesco) AHM Kamal, SMMAB senior vice president Masudur Rahim, FERB executive director Sadrul Hasan and vice chairman Azizur Rahman.
Assistant professor of United International University Shakila Aziz made the keynote presentation titled ‘Business Case of Opportunities and Challenges for Rooftop Solar Scale-up’.
Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury said the government has introduced the net metering policy to promote the renewable energy, especially the solar power, across the country.
He said the mandatory solar system for obtaining power connections might fail but the current initiative for solar power promotion through net metering will not nosedive as there is a good opportunity for consumers to sell their additional solar electricity to the government through net metering system.
He mentioned the government is trying to utilise all kinds of potentials to increase solar power generation.
He said some 100 MW of electricity could be easily generated through using the abundant spaces in the country’s airports. "Already, solar power is being generated by using such spaces in New Delhi and Kolkata airports in India," he added.
Munawar Moin said many countries has already increased the share of solar power up to 25 percent of the total electricity generation as they put utmost emphasis on clean energy generation.
He said 100 percent power generation from clean energy was targeted in the sustainable development goals (SDGs) of the United Nations.
The Power Cell director general said it will be a great achievement if the country could generate 50 percent of the total electricity from the renewable energy by 2050.
He said now the ball in the court of private entrepreneurs in the renewable energy sector to utilise the net metering system to develop the solar power and make it popular, useful and profitable.
In her keynote presentation, Shakila Aziz discussed three options of financing for solar power generation.