‘Lack of policy, not land, key obstacle to renewable energy target’
Till now, Bangladesh has produced 722MW electricity from renewable energy sources
It is not land limitation but the lack of an effective policy and a responsible organisation that is the main obstacle to achieving the renewable energy target in the country, speakers have told a discussion.
Munawar Misbah Moin, managing director of Rahimafrooz Bangladesh, said the target can be achieved if 2% of the country's total land is allocated for this sector.
"For that, we need a responsible organisation that will ensure that the right programme, budget, and modality are in place," he said at the virtual dialogue titled "Proposed Solar Energy Road Map 2021-2041 & Reality" on Saturday.
The programme was part of a webinar series organised by Energy & Power Magazine.
Md Shahriar Ahmed Chowdhury, director of the Centre for Energy Research at United International University, presented the keynote. He said the country has the capacity to generate 30GW electricity from renewable sources by 2041.
Till now, Bangladesh has produced 722MW electricity from renewable energy sources.
Dipal Chandra Barua, president of Bangladesh Solar and Renewable Energy Association, said the land limitation issue is an unexpected debate in the renewable energy sector.
Addressing the programme as the chief guest, Abul Kalam Azad, distinguished fellow of the Global Centre on Adaptation and the Climate Vulnerable Forum Presidency special envoy, said energy policy should not be based on a single fuel.
"We have to be cautious about 100% dependency on renewable energy because harnessing energy from renewable sources often becomes impossible due to climate change," he said.
The policy should be a mix of fossil fuel and renewable energy, he added.
Commenting on the current renewable energy status in the country, Azad said, "What we have achieved in this sector in the last decade is not satisfactory. We could have done better by using innovative technology despite our land limitation."
Among others, Professor ASM Maksud Kamal, pro-vice chancellor (academic) of the University of Dhaka, Professor Dr Ijaz Hossain, dean of the faculty of engineering at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, and Mohammad Alauddin, chairman of the Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority, spoke at the programme.