Rancon launches ‘country’s first solar-powered’ cold storage in Ctg
The facility, implemented by Rancon Infrastructure and Engineering Limited, has been installed on the rooftop of the company’s cold storage structure, signalling a growing shift towards the country’s renewable energy use
Highlights:
- Rancon launches Bangladesh's first solar-powered cold storage facility
- Facility generates 296KWp DC and 250KW AC electricity
- Solar panels meet most daytime electricity demand during sunny weather
- Monthly electricity costs reduced by nearly Tk4.13 lakh
- Project expected to prevent 210 tonnes of annual carbon emissions
- High import duties hinder wider rooftop solar expansion in Bangladesh
Amid a continued power crisis and rising energy costs, Rancon Group has launched what it claims to be Bangladesh's first solar-powered cold storage facility at its sea fishing division in Chattogram's Sadarghat area.
The facility, implemented by Rancon Infrastructure and Engineering Limited, has been installed on the rooftop of the company's cold storage structure, signalling a growing shift towards the country's renewable energy use.
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Authorities said the project was completed within two months at a cost of nearly Tk1.3 crore and went into operation last April. It has a capacity of generating 296KWp DC [Kilowatt-Peak Direct Current] and 250KW AC [Alternating Current].
A total of 482 solar panels have been installed across nearly 28,000 square feet of rooftop space. Each 615Wp [watt and peak] panel measures 2,382mm by 1,134mm. It can generate around 2.8 kilowatt-hours of electricity on a typical sunny day and around 2.2 kilowatt-hours on cloudy or monsoon days.
In solar technology, 2382mm by 1134mm refers to the length and width dimensions of high-efficiency, large-format bifacial solar modules.
According to company data, the cold storage facility requires around 2,200 kilowatt-hours of electricity daily to preserve up to 500 tonnes of fish.
Officials said the solar system can meet almost the entire daytime electricity demand of the facility during sunny weather.
Before the installation, the facility used to pay around Tk6.72 lakh in monthly electricity bills, and it has now dropped to around Tk2.59 lakh, saving nearly Tk4.13 lakh per month.
In addition to reducing expenses, the company estimates the project will help avoid around 210 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually.
During periods of lower consumption, excess electricity generated from the solar system is supplied back to the national grid.
However, the company still depends on grid electricity at night as no battery storage system has been installed. Officials said battery storage remains commercially challenging due to high import duties and equipment costs.
Saddam Hossain, base engineer at Rancon Sea Fishing Division, told The Business Standard that the project has been delivering both financial and environmental benefits.
"The facility is not only supplying the cold storage with clean energy but also significantly reducing electricity costs," he said, adding that beyond savings, it has also strengthened the environmental compliance profile, which gives advantages in the international market.
International buyers are increasingly prioritising environmentally compliant suppliers, particularly in export-oriented industries such as seafood processing and preservation, he said.
Sobail Bin Alam, chief operating officer of Rancon Infrastructure and Engineering, said the solar project is expected to remain operational for around 25 years, making it financially viable in the long term.
High duties slow rooftop solar expansion
Cold storage facilities in Bangladesh typically use energy-intensive refrigeration systems operating at temperatures ranging from minus 18 degrees Celsius to minus 40 degrees Celsius.
Sobail said Bangladesh has enormous rooftop solar potential but investors are struggling because of the country's tax structure and import duty regime.
"There is an unusual reality in Bangladesh. We have abundant sunlight and huge rooftop solar potential, but entrepreneurs are finding it difficult to make the economics work because of high duties and policy barriers," he said.
Countries like Pakistan and Vietnam have kept duties on renewable energy equipment at zero or near-zero levels to attract investment, while Bangladesh remains heavily import-dependent for 90% to 95% of renewable energy components, he said.
He said the upcoming national budget presents a major opportunity to remove barriers for renewable energy investment.
