Energy experts on Saturday said Bangladesh should go for a comprehensive study first before taking any move to build an energy storage system.
“We need to conduct a study on where and what capacity of an energy storage system we should build. This involves a huge cost,” said Prof Hasib Chowdhury of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET).
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He was addressing a webinar titled: “Storage Application in Bangladesh Power System” organised by Power and Energy Magazine.
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid also spoke on the occasion.
He said Bangladesh needs an energy storage system as both power generation and consumption are growing.
“But an energy storage system has to be cost effective for Bangladesh,” he said adding that such a system will help increase power generation from renewable sources.
He said the use of electric vehicles will be easier if an energy storage system is built in the country.
The seminar was also addressed by energy expert and BUET Prof Nurul Islam, Prof Ziaur Rahman, Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (Sreda) Chairman Mohammad Alauddin, Power Cell Director General Mohammad Hossain, and GIZ programme coordinator Al Modabbir Bin Anam.
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Dr Ahmed Saber, Vice President of ETAB, a US-based automation and power solution software company, made a presentation on the topic while magazine editor Mollah Amzad conducted the seminar.
Dr Saber said an energy storage system needs to be built through a different way as the battery system is the most suitable and flexible one having up to 90 percent energy efficiency. If a storage system is built in combination with solar, wind and battery ones, then it will work properly, he said.
Through this system, he said, the energy generated from solar and wind could be consumed as per requirement. “But its success depends on its proper modeling.”
Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) executive engineer Adil Chowdhury said a power storage system will be helpful for Bangladesh to address the low-voltage problem in its northern region.
According to him, the captive generation can be replaced with grid power through a storage system.
Mohammad Alauddin said the government is committed to increasing the power generation from renewable energy which is reflected on its 5-year plan.
Al Modabber, an energy expert, said Bangladesh now has over 1 million electric vehicles which could use electricity for recharging through the storage system.