Renewable energy needs more investment: Speakers

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Economic Reporter :
Speakers at a function on Sunday said the renewable energy as well as energy sector required more investment to ensure energy security in the country.
They said further investment in the energy sector was required to ensure energy for all people living poverty at rural areas of the country, as they consumed energy for their home appliances.
Addressing a launching ceremony of “Poor People’s Energy Outlook 2016” at Hotel Westin in the city, the participants also highlighted activities of the Practical Action, a non-governmental consulting farm.
Chaired by country director of the Practical Action Hasin Jahan, the function was addressed by chairman of Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (SREDA) M Anwarul Islam Sikder as the chief guest.
Sikder said that the government has been working relentlessly to reach power across the country within 2018-2019 and the renewable energy would also play a significant role in this regard.
“We have undertaken a project to provide loan for purchasing energy efficient equipment and the loan would be disbursed from Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL) at only 4 percent interest,” he said.
The chairman, however, said the renewable energy would be available at a place where the Rural Electrification Board of Bangladesh (REB) would fail to supply electricity through grid.
Hasin Jahan said the total energy access means energy for all home appliances belongs to rural people, adding, earlier a rural people required power for a light, but now he needs energy for charging his cell phone and other electronic devices.
Besides, a participant at the function, said that a section of affordable people are getting benefit of subsidy in the energy sector, while rural people need only power for their essential appliances.
Later, M Anwarul Islam Sikder, Hasin Jahan and Uttam Kumar Saha unveiled the outlook.
In the outlook, the Practical Action descried that ending the scourge of global energy poverty has tightly become an international priority-but governments.
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