UNB, Dhaka :
Implementation of the billion-dollar solar energy programme faces a setback for lack of coordination among the entities involved in electrification programme and ‘wrong strategy’ of the financing agency, raising the number of defaulters in monthly installment payments by beneficiaries.
Overlapping of conventional and non-conventional energy programmes in the same areas while the gradual increase in loan interest rate were said to have stood in the way of the solar power campaign.
According to the industry insiders, these two issues are pushing the private sector partner organisations (POs) towards a disastrous situation for which many are now feeling ‘discouraged’ to continue their investment. Some of them are now directing their field staff to refrain from expanding the programme to new areas.
Official sources said, the government has set a target to increase the solar-based power production to 500MW by 2015. Under the government’s Vision 2021 programme, the government also targeted to raise the renewable energy’s share to 5 percent by 2015 and 10 percent by 2020.
Under this target, the state-owned the Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL) has taken up a new programme to install 3 million more solar home systems (SHSs) across the country in addition to its existing 3 million ones. But now duplication has shattered their future investment plan and about the existing programme, they said.
This also contributes to the rise in the monthly default cases of consumers due to decrease in programme quality with increased appointment of POs by IDCOL.
Reports have it that Rural Electrification Board (REB) is expanding its electrification programme with conventional power supply system in those areas where the IDCOL has already installed SHS. As a result, the private organisations which are the IDCOL’s partner organisations are facing big trouble.
Under the IDCOL-financed programme up to 30 watt-peak solar system, a consumer has to pay 15 percent of the total cost as down payment while the rest 85 percent comes from the credit. Of this 85 percent credit, the IDCOL provides 60 percent as loan (which is 51 percent of the total cost) while system seller PO provides rest 40 percent as equity (which is 34 percent of the total cost). The consumer pays back the credit within maximum 36 months through instalment.
Implementation of the billion-dollar solar energy programme faces a setback for lack of coordination among the entities involved in electrification programme and ‘wrong strategy’ of the financing agency, raising the number of defaulters in monthly installment payments by beneficiaries.
Overlapping of conventional and non-conventional energy programmes in the same areas while the gradual increase in loan interest rate were said to have stood in the way of the solar power campaign.
According to the industry insiders, these two issues are pushing the private sector partner organisations (POs) towards a disastrous situation for which many are now feeling ‘discouraged’ to continue their investment. Some of them are now directing their field staff to refrain from expanding the programme to new areas.
Official sources said, the government has set a target to increase the solar-based power production to 500MW by 2015. Under the government’s Vision 2021 programme, the government also targeted to raise the renewable energy’s share to 5 percent by 2015 and 10 percent by 2020.
Under this target, the state-owned the Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL) has taken up a new programme to install 3 million more solar home systems (SHSs) across the country in addition to its existing 3 million ones. But now duplication has shattered their future investment plan and about the existing programme, they said.
This also contributes to the rise in the monthly default cases of consumers due to decrease in programme quality with increased appointment of POs by IDCOL.
Reports have it that Rural Electrification Board (REB) is expanding its electrification programme with conventional power supply system in those areas where the IDCOL has already installed SHS. As a result, the private organisations which are the IDCOL’s partner organisations are facing big trouble.
Under the IDCOL-financed programme up to 30 watt-peak solar system, a consumer has to pay 15 percent of the total cost as down payment while the rest 85 percent comes from the credit. Of this 85 percent credit, the IDCOL provides 60 percent as loan (which is 51 percent of the total cost) while system seller PO provides rest 40 percent as equity (which is 34 percent of the total cost). The consumer pays back the credit within maximum 36 months through instalment.
