Economic Reporter :
Bangladesh Economic Zone Authority (BEZA) has planned setting up of a big solar power zone for generating at least 1000 megawatts (MW) of electricity, official sources said.
“The authority has started the process of acquiring around 4000 acres of land at Baher Char in Chandpur District to develop the solar zone, which will be the country’s biggest hub for solar power,” Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) Executive Chairman Paban Chowdhury told.
The solar power zone could be named after father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, provided that the approval is given from the Prime Minister Office (PMO), the BEZA chief said.
“Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) and Power China have shown interest in developing the solar zone,” he said, noting that BPDB would get 1,000 acres land, keeping the rest 3,000 acres for Power China for setting up the solar zone.
He hoped that the development of the solar zone would begin soon so it could start generating electricity from late next year in phases.
“Unlike conventional power plant, setting up of solar power system does not take much time,” Chowdhury said. He said establishing of solar power zone would also ensure the better use of sandy char land those are not suitable for cropping.
A big portion of the electricity would be supplied to the national grid to help meet the growing demand, Chowdhury said.
Besides developing the mega solar power, BEZA would give the Power Division nearly 2,000 acres of land at Mirersharai Economic Zone in Chittagong to develop another solar hub for producing 600MW electricity.
The government has a target of generating 24,000 MW of power in 2021 and 60,000 MW in 2041 for meeting the increasing demand for electricity. At least 10.0 percent of the demand would be met from renewable sources including solar power system.
The country is now producing 15,379 MW of electricity to supply to 2.49 crore customers across the country. Nearly 45 lakh households in thousand of villages of the country also got solar power system in the past few years. The 2.49 crore customers together with the 45 lakh home solar systems effectively made electricity available to 80.0 percent of the country’s total population, said a Power Cell official.
Bangladesh Economic Zone Authority (BEZA) has planned setting up of a big solar power zone for generating at least 1000 megawatts (MW) of electricity, official sources said.
“The authority has started the process of acquiring around 4000 acres of land at Baher Char in Chandpur District to develop the solar zone, which will be the country’s biggest hub for solar power,” Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) Executive Chairman Paban Chowdhury told.
The solar power zone could be named after father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, provided that the approval is given from the Prime Minister Office (PMO), the BEZA chief said.
“Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) and Power China have shown interest in developing the solar zone,” he said, noting that BPDB would get 1,000 acres land, keeping the rest 3,000 acres for Power China for setting up the solar zone.
He hoped that the development of the solar zone would begin soon so it could start generating electricity from late next year in phases.
“Unlike conventional power plant, setting up of solar power system does not take much time,” Chowdhury said. He said establishing of solar power zone would also ensure the better use of sandy char land those are not suitable for cropping.
A big portion of the electricity would be supplied to the national grid to help meet the growing demand, Chowdhury said.
Besides developing the mega solar power, BEZA would give the Power Division nearly 2,000 acres of land at Mirersharai Economic Zone in Chittagong to develop another solar hub for producing 600MW electricity.
The government has a target of generating 24,000 MW of power in 2021 and 60,000 MW in 2041 for meeting the increasing demand for electricity. At least 10.0 percent of the demand would be met from renewable sources including solar power system.
The country is now producing 15,379 MW of electricity to supply to 2.49 crore customers across the country. Nearly 45 lakh households in thousand of villages of the country also got solar power system in the past few years. The 2.49 crore customers together with the 45 lakh home solar systems effectively made electricity available to 80.0 percent of the country’s total population, said a Power Cell official.
