'Made in Bangladesh' solar panels go to US for the first time

Highlights

• First consignment sent to US-based CleanGrid Incorporation on 19 June 2025
• 4-year export deal worth over Tk215cr between Radiant Alliance and US firm
• Radiant will supply 64.60MW of solar modules through 2028

Bangladesh has entered the global renewable energy supply chain, with Radiant Alliance, an affiliate of local conglomerate East Coast Group, dispatching its first export of solar PV modules to the United States.

The initial consignment, sent on 19 June 2025 to US-based CleanGrid Incorporation, marks the start of a four-year export agreement worth over Tk215 crore, according to a top official of Radiant. Under the deal, the company will supply a total of 64.60 megawatts (MW) of solar modules through 2028, with 12.40MW scheduled for delivery in 2025 alone.

The modules, in 100Wp and 200Wp configurations, are manufactured at Radiant's fully automated plant in Ashulia, Savar. With an annual production capacity of 600MW, the facility is among the most advanced in the country.

"This is not just a company milestone – it's a national milestone," Masudur Rahim, CEO of Radiant Alliance, told The Business Standard. "We are proving that 'Made in Bangladesh' can compete in the global cleantech market."

Industry insiders said the move positions Bangladesh as an emerging contender in solar manufacturing, a sector dominated by China, India and Vietnam. Another 300MW order for 2026 is reportedly under negotiation, further signalling international confidence in local production capabilities.

"This is the first time in Bangladesh a local company exporting solar PV modules," said Rahim, adding that Radiant Alliance has a manufacturing process of more than 10 years, which previously produced for the domestic solar home systems (SHS) market only.

"Now we are manufacturing products for international markets," he said. This is a fully new line invested for the targeted international market and came into operation just months before, he said.

Radiant's PV module sizes are 50Wp to 700Wp, which are being produced in its plant where Radiant invested around $20 million or around Tk220 crore.

"It showcases Bangladesh's ability to manufacture high-quality, export-grade renewable energy products," said Golam Baki Masud, general secretary of the Solar Module Manufacturers Association of Bangladesh (SMMAB). "This was a dream, we were waiting for this day," he told TBS.

Masud also said the USA's anti-dumping duty on Chinese solar panels is an opportunity for Bangladesh.

Munawar Misbah Moin, president of SMMAB and managing director of Rahimafrooz Renewable Energy, also termed Radiant's export move to the US market very encouraging for other manufacturers.

"Earlier, we had exported to Nepal, but that was a very small panel. Now we need to produce large panels, which need big investments," Moin told TBS.

Local solar panel manufacturers said they are struggling to compete with a flood of cheap, low-quality imports that continue to enter the domestic market unchecked, undermining both quality standards and the viability of local production.

"There is no proper quality control mechanism in place," said the SMMAB president.

Industry insiders argued that the absence of regulatory oversight has created an uneven playing field, where imported panels often undercut local products on price without meeting minimum technical or safety standards.

To protect the emerging domestic industry, the SMMAB has long been advocating for a mandatory quota system in public sector solar projects. Under this proposal, a fixed percentage of solar modules used in government-funded installations, such as utility-scale plants, rooftop systems in schools, hospitals, and other public institutions, would be required to come from local manufacturers.

"We're not asking for special treatment. We're asking for fair policy support that allows a new industry to take root," said the SMMAB president.