Manikganj
Solar power plant in Manikganj starts commercial operation
A 35MW solar power plant in Manikganj has gone into commercial operation supplying electricity to the national grid.
“The plant has been supplying electricity to the national grid since it started its commercial operation in March this year,” said Imran Chowdhury, country head of the Sungrow Power Supply Company Ltd, which worked for the project as engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor.
Spectra Solar Park Ltd, (SSPL), a joint venture of Bangladeshi Spectra Group and Chinese Shunfeng Investments Limited (SIL), developed the project at Shibalaya Upazila in Manikganj with $15 million financial support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
Read: Solar Home System: IDCOL partners seek govt intervention in loan write-off issue
The state-owned Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) will purchase electricity from this independent power producer (IPP) project at a rate of TK 11.12/kWh ($0.13) under a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA).
Official sources said SSPL is a special purpose vehicle (SPV) owned by Bangladesh-based Spectra Engineers Limited (SEL) and the Hong Kong, China-based Shunfeng Investments Limited (SIL).
The SSPL is the borrower for the loan and will build, own, and operate the project. SEL owns 80 percent of SSPL and SIL owns the remaining 20 percent.
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According to the sources, the Consortium of Spectra Engineers Limited & Shunfeng Investment Limited owned the 35 MW (AC) grid-connected solar park through an unsolicited offer under the Fast Power and Energy Supply (special) Act.
They said this has been the 4th IPP project that came into operation although more than 20 such projects were awarded to private sponsors.
Read:Sreda, BGMEA sign deal for rooftop solar power promotion in RMG sector
Earlier, 4 IPP projects -- 50 MW (AC) Solar Park Gauripur, Mymensingh by HETAT-DITROLIC-IFDC Solar Consortium, 8 MW Solar Park in Panchagarh by Parasol Energy Ltd., 20MW (AC) Solar Park Teknaf Upazila, Cox's Bazar by Joules Power Limited (JPL) and 3 MW Grid-connected PV Power Plant at Sharishabari in Jamalpur by Engreen Sharishabari Solar Plant Ltd, owned by IFE-CPC-JEL Consortium -- went into operation.
Imran Chowdhury said the Chinese mother company has launched Sungrow Renewable Energy Bangladesh Limited (SREBL) as a new company to work as IPP project developer beyond its current job of EPC contractor to make a significant contribution to National Solar Energy Roadmap Up To 2041.
He said Sungrow now offers different technologies and solutions -- solar-plus energy storage solution (ESS), power plant by lithium-ion battery, floating solar power plant, solar fishery power plant, ground-mounted solar power plant -- for the Bangladesh market.
Reead Nasrul urges RMG owners: Go solar for low cost, tax break
The study, titled 'National Solar Energy Action Plan 2021-2041', was conducted by the Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (Sreda) in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Meanwhile, the country’s Power System Master PLan (PSMP) has set a target to reach the renewable energy’s share to 10 percent of total power generation capacity (2470 MW) by 2021 -- a major focus was supposed to be on exploiting the potential of solar energy to achieve the goal.
But available data shows the country now has the generation capacity of 20,595 MW from conventional sources while power from renewable sources is lagging far behind at 700.61 MW, which is around 3 percent of the total generation capacity.
Read: Nasrul urges RMG owners: Go solar for low cost, tax break
The Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (Sreda) show that among different renewable energy sources, PV solar leads the sector with 466.68 MW generation capacity, while it is followed by hydro with 230 MW capacity, 2.9 MW from wind, 0.63 MW from Bio-gas and 0.4 MW from Biomass.
Energy experts say that Bangladesh is far behind Pakistan and India, among its South Asian neighbors, in utilising renewable energy resources for electricity generation.
The PSMP stipulates for 35 percent power generation from imported LNG (liquefied natural gas), some 35 percent from imported coal, 15 percent from renewable energy, 10 percent from nuclear energy and five percent from petroleum oil by 2041, when the country’s generation will reach 60,000 MW, the officials added.
Read Sreda, BGMEA sign deal for rooftop solar power promotion in RMG sector
BGB deployed on Paturia-Daulatdia, Shimulia-Banglabazar routes
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) teams have been deployed on the Paturia-Daulatdia and Shimulia-Banglabazar routes in Manikganj and Munshiganj from tonight to stop the mad rush of homebound people.
Md Shariful Islam, Public relations officer of the BGB headquarters confirmed the development to UNB.
He warned that strict actions will be taken against those gathering at the ferry terminals despite suspension on water vessels plying from tomorrow.
Earlier today, Paturia ferry terminal saw a mad rush of homebound people ahead of Eid despite a so-called decision of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) to suspend daytime ferry services.
Also read: Ferry services suspended to contain spread of Covid
BIWTC took the decision late Friday night to suspend daytime ferry services on Paturia-Daulatdia and Shimulia-Banglabazar routes from Saturday morning as per government instructions to curb the spread of coronavirus infection ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.
However, three ferries were selected to transport ambulances and hearse vehicles.
While visiting Paturia ferry terminal early Saturday morning, the UNB correspondent saw flocks of people stranded there, completely unaware of the hastily made late night decision of BIWTC.
Although some of them were forced to return, hundreds of passengers continued to hold their ground in an attempt to celebrate Eid with the loved ones at any cost.
Also read: Mad rush of homebound people at Paturia terminal
When an ambulance carrying a dead body was getting into the Madhobilota, a ferry kept for emergency situations, hundreds of these people forced themselves onto it.
The same incident happened with two other ferries anchored at separate terminals of Paturia.
After a few hours, two of those ferries, carrying hundreds of people, left the terminals and this was more or less the entire story of the day, which means the late night suspension of BIWTC has proved insufficient.
However, Jillur Rahman, deputy general manager of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Aricha office said, “At all times the plying of water vessels has been suspended following BIWTC’s decision. Only three ferries are operational for emergency use. But we are facing difficulties in operating them because of excessive pressure by people wanting to get in.”
Paturia-Daulatdia ferry services resume after 8hr
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