1. Introduction:Bangladesh is experiencing an acute shortage of electric power that is likely to be worsening day by day which stresses the need for the deployment of renewable energy resources to extenuate this energy crisis. In Bangladesh, there are many natural resources such as coal, gas, petrol. The main source of energy in Bangladesh is Natural gas (24%) which is likely to be depleted by the year 2020. Then Bangladeshis people will be faced some problem. In this case renewable energy helps the people of Bangladesh. People have a large unsatisfied demand of energy, which is growing by 10% yearly. Bangladesh has a vast potential for renewable energy and the natural availability of alternative energy creates opportunities of Growth in power sector; the substantial availability of renewable energy sources in the form of solar, biomass, biogas, hydropower and wind energy can provide opportunities of sustainable energy based development. Bangladesh is one of the low energy consuming countries of the world. The national grid could so far cover only 35 per cent of the total population, and only 3 per cent people are enjoying piped gas supply. About 72 per cent people of Bangladesh live in rural areas, where the situation is worse and renewable energy is considered to be the right choice for providing clean energy to these remote settlements. 2. Present Scenario of Electricity Production: Bangladesh, with its 160 million people in a land mass of 147,570sq km is an emerging economy of South Asia successfully maintaining sustained economic growth of least 6% since last decade resulted a considerable high electricity demand each year. A booming economic growth, rapid urbanization and increased industrialization and development have increased the country's demand for electricity. Presently, 62% of the total population (including renewable energy) has access to electricity and per capita generation is 321 kWH, which is very low compared to other developing countries. In Bangladesh, nearly 72% of the population lives in rural areas and renewable energy is considered to be the right choice for providing clean energy to these remote settlements. Power generation in Bangladesh was mono-fuel dependent, i.e. indigenous natural gas since 2009 considering its apparent huge availability. About 89% of generated power comes from natural gas and the rest is from liquid fuel, coal and hydropower. The present share of renewable energy is only 0.5%. As per election manifesto of the present government electricity generation in the country would be 7000 MW by the year 2013, 8000 MW by 2015 and 20,000 MW by the year 2021. The government aims to generate additional 15,000 MW electricity, within 2016 under short, medium and long term plan. The government has further extended its vision targeting the upcoming years up to 2030 and prepared the Power System Master Plan 2010 (PSMP). This plan states that in 2030 the demand of power would be around 34,000 MW while the generation capacity would be about 39,000 MW. Presently, the generation capacity is nearly 9,713 MW(September,2013) which implies that much endeavor is required to achieve the goal. 3. Overview on Different Renewable Energy Sources: 3.1. Solar Power
Solar Energy can be a great source for solving power crisis in Bangladesh. Bangladesh is situated between 20.30 and 26.38 degrees north latitude and 88.04 and 92.44 degrees east which is an ideal location for solar energy utilization. Bangladesh is a subtropical country, 70% of year sunlight is dropped in Bangladesh. For this reason, we can use solar panels to produce electricity largely. Solar radiation varies from season to season in Bangladesh. Bangladesh receives an average daily solar radiation of 4-6.5 kWh/m2.
In a recent study conducted by Renewable Energy Research Centre, it is found that average solar radiation varies between4 to 6.5 kWhm-2 day-1 and maximum amounts of radiation are available in the month of March-April and minimum in December-January. So from the above figure and discussion we can say that there is a good prospect of harnessing solar power. The vision is targeted to be achieved through a concerted effort of Bangladesh Government involving a number of government ministries and their affiliated agencies. In addition, there would be a strong involvement of private sector (more than 50%) in the project implementation.Under this initiative there would be two types of projects:Business type involving contribution from beneficiaries and private sector managementSocial Service type aiming to implement government's social commitment
3.1.1. The snapshot of the program is as follows
Investments projects are, 1. Installation of solar irrigation pumps, 2, Installation of mini grid solar system, 3, Solar park, 4, Roof-top solar power solution. Social sector projects are 1, Solar electrification at railway station, 2, Solar electrification at Union Information Services Centers, 3, Solar led street lighting, 4. Solar electrification in rural health center5.Installation of Solar Home System in Religious Establishments, 6. Solar Electrification in Remote Education Centers, 7. Installation of Solar Home System in Government / Semi-government offices.
3.2 Biogas:
Organic wastes such as dead plant and animal material. Animal dung, and Kitchen waste can be converted into a gaseous fuel called biogas. Biogas originates from biogenic material and is a type of biofuel. Major components of biogas are 40-70% methane (CH4), 30-60% carbon dioxide (CO2) and other gases (1-5%). It also contains several trace gases like Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), Nitrogen (N2), Ammonia (NH3) and Carbon monoxide (CO). A biogas based electricity generation system consists of a digester, a biogas collection tank, a generator as well as the piping and controls required for successful operation. The biogas is produced in the anaerobic digester, where anaerobic fermentation takes place which is provided every day with livestock manure in the form of cattle dung.
Biogas production plays an important role in Bangladesh since the necessary resources are plentiful. The Government along with several NGOs are working together for development of power production from Biogas. Grameen Shakti is one of the most uttered NGO in field of biogas and has completed several works. They have completed 13,500 biogas plants. Recently Seed Bangla Foundation has proposed a 25 KW Biogas based Power plant in Rajshahi. IDCOL A Government owned Investment Company fixed a target to set up 37,669 biogas plants in Bangladesh by 2012, under its National Domestic Biogas and Manure Programmers (NDBMP). Bangladesh has a wonderful climate for biogas production. The ideal temperature for biogas is around 35 deg. The temperature in Bangladesh usually varies from 6 deg. to 40 deg. But the inside temperature of a biogas digester remains at 22 deg.-30 deg., which is very near to the optimum requirement.
3.2.1. Biogas Based Electricity Generation Plants:
IDCOL is financing setting up of three biogas based electricity generation plants, one in Mymensingh and two in Gazipur, and one organic fertilizer plant in Gazipur by Paragon Agro Ltd. Electricity generated from these plants will be supplied to the adjacent poultry farms of Paragon Poultry Ltd. (PPL) at BDT 4 / kWh, while organic fertilizer will be sold in the market at BDT 15 per 1 Kg packet and BDT 400 per 40 Kg packet Total project cost is BDT 149.40 million. 3.2.2.National Domestic Biogas and Manure Program: Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL) is implementing National Domestic Biogas and Manure Programme (NDBMP) with support from GoB, SNV- Netherlands Development Organization and Kfw. Under the project a total of 37,269 domestic sized biogas plants have been financed during the period 2006-2012. The overall objective of the NDBMP is to further develop and disseminate domestic biogas plants in rural areas with the ultimate goal to establish a sustainable and commercial biogas sector in Bangladesh. 3.3. Wind: Bangladesh is in the midst of a severe energy and power supply crisis; one of the worst in South Asia. However, the government is now looking to explore the potential of wind energy, particularly along the country’s 724 km long coastline. Wind energy can potentially generate more than 2000 megawatts of electricity in the coastal regions. The growth of wind energy in the underdeveloped, coastal areas of the country holds hope for poor, isolated communities that are not connected to the national electricity grid and who are also unlikely to receive grid connection in the near future due to the high cost of establishing infrastructure, and growing scarcity of traditional energy inputs. The Bangladesh Power Development Board has estimated that wind energy can contribute to 10% of the energy needs of the country. The Board has also calculated the cost to generate one kWh from wind energy to be about half the cost of generating an equivalent unit of power from solar energy. The expansion of the potential of wind energy will be crucial in order for Bangladesh to achieve its national vision of providing electricity to all of its population by 2020. 3.4. Biomass:Bangladesh is an agricultural country and has strong potential for biomass gasification based electricity. Cattle dung, agricultural residue, poultry dropping, water hyacinth, rice husk etc. used for biomass power generation are available in Bangladesh. More common biomass resources available in the country are rice husk, crop residue, wood, jute stick, animal waste, municipal waste, sugarcane bagasse etc. Exploration of these resources for electricity generation is still at preliminary stage. 3.5. Micro hydro: The Karnafuly Hydro Power Station is the only hydropower plant in the country with a capacity of 230 MW. It is operated by BPDB (Bangladesh Power Development Board). BPDB is considering increasing production up to 330MW. Micro hydro and mini hydro have limited potential in Bangladesh with exception of Chittagong Hill Tracts. Hydropower assessments have identified some possible sites from 10 kW to 5 MW implementation of which is still at large.Other renewable energy sources include bio-fuels, gasohol, geothermal, river current, wave and tidal energy. Potentialities of these resources are yet to be explored.
Other renewable energy sources include bio-fuels, gasohol, geothermal, river current, wave and tidal energy
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