The role of the Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL) has been acclaimed for the installation of three million solar home systems in the country in the last one decade. Amid huge media hype a plan to install another three million solar home systems has been announced, but no mention has been made of the organisation – Grameen Shakti – that has actually taken solar systems to rural Bangladesh.The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) released its annual review report for 2014 shows that Bangladesh is currently installing 70,000 solar panels a month. The total number of solar systems has jumped from 25,000 to 2.8 million in ten years, according to the report. In addition, the increased number of these panels have created around 114,000 jobs – which is expected to rise even further.
These systems have proven to be quite effective in Bangladesh. Grameen Shakti – a non-profit organization based in Bangladesh – brought solar home systems to rural populations. Dipal Barua, one of the founders of Grameen Shakti, and Muhammad Yunus, a 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner, are responsible for the success of the project. Muhammad Yunus has fallen in disgrace since his receiving the Nobel Peace Prize.
The World Bank in July, 2014, signed a 78.4 million USD deal with Dhaka to help install 480,000 solar home systems. These systems are an alternative method of providing power to a house that has no access to a power grid.
Deutche Welle has quoted Barua as saying that the solar home systems have provided a better source of energy to a a lot of people. “Rural people can keep their businesses open for longer, and children can study at night,” he said, adding that people could also charge their mobile phones and laptop computers with these power equipments. “Also, many technical jobs have been created in the field of renewable energy.”
Dipal Barua explains that solar panels have been successful because they are affordable. In addition, technical service is provided for purchased items, and there is training support for the users and the skilled workers, he adds.
Barua says that he encourages people to set up roof-top solar panels in urban households. “It would ease the burden of the national power grid and expand power to urban households.”
Talking about the future projects, the founder of the Bright Green Energy Foundation told DW that he wants to “install 7.5 million solar home systems, replace 500,000 irrigation pumps with solar pumps and create 100,000 more green jobs.”
A Grameen Shakti official told GreenWatch Dhaka that they don’t mind for not being mentioned in the celebration of the three million solar home systems, because IDCOL also plays a strong supportive role in extending finance for creating the infrastructure for extension of solar home systems. ‘We are happy that the authorities are taking pride in the success, and this would increase their commitment to the further development of solar energy. So long it was difficult to convince the authorities to withdraw duty and tax on solar panels although solar systems are being exdtended with generous support from the World Bank. – GreenWatch Report
