Jashore BNP office inaugurates country's first solar power system at a political party office
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Anindya Islam Amit inaugurated the system, which will meet the office’s electricity demand while allowing surplus power to be supplied to the national grid through net metering.
A 2kW rooftop solar power system was inaugurated at the Jashore district BNP office today (21 October), in what party leaders described as the first such installation at a political party office in Bangladesh.
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Anindya Islam Amit inaugurated the system, which will meet the office's electricity demand while allowing surplus power to be supplied to the national grid through net metering.
Speaking at the inauguration, Amit expressed hope that the initiative would encourage other political parties to install solar systems at their offices across the country. He said the district BNP's investment was expected to be recovered within around three and a half years.
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The state minister also said the government plans to gradually bring diesel-powered irrigation pumps under solar power projects, with priority given to districts in the southwestern region.
He said the initiative would reduce pressure on electricity and diesel use while making irrigation easier through solar energy.
Amit said the government is targeting an additional 3,000MW to 4,000MW of electricity generation from rooftop solar systems before next summer, citing growing public interest in solar power.
He said the government also wants to create new entrepreneurs in the renewable energy sector. Under the planned policy framework, small and medium-sized young entrepreneurs and technology-based firms will be able to participate in renewable energy projects and access loans on easier terms.
Local firms will also be able to partner with experienced national companies and investors to strengthen their technical, financial and business capacity, while service providers will be selected through a transparent and competitive process, he added.
Jashore district BNP President Saberul Haque Sabu said the initiative was taken as part of efforts to meet electricity demand through renewable energy.
"We initially installed a 2kW panel system. Through the inverter system, it can later be expanded to 6kW," he said.
He expressed hope that similar installations at political party offices across the country could help reduce pressure on the power supply.
