Private farm to install large-scale Bangladesh solar plant

The Bangladesh government has allowed a private group to install an 18-megawatt solar power plant.

A local private farm -- Solarium Power Limited  -- is going to set up the country's first large-scale solar power system to supply electricity to the national grid. The proposed plant would also contribute to reducing carbon emission to a significant amount, sources said.

Power Division officials said the state-owned Power Development Board has already signed a deal with the local company for purchasing power from the proposed 18-mw plant at Bazitpur in Kishoreganj.

Some private farms and state-owned agencies have installed solar systems, which can generate small-scale electricity for domestic purposes only.

SPL will set up the 18mw solar power plant, investing US$27.9 million within two years from the date of signing the contract, an executive of the company said.  The state-owned PDB will purchase electricity from the plant at Tk 5.50 per kilowatt hour, he said.