Bangladesh eyes $3B investment on solar energy

Solar energy can help expand information technology across rural Bangladesh, according to Energy Adviser Dr. Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhur

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He explained that inadequate power has emerged as the main impediment to turning the entire country into a digital one, while solar power could be the best probable solution.

Chowdur was speaking at a seminar organized by the Bangladesh Solar Energy Development Forum.

He added that the government is not capable of continuing fuel subsidy for which it marginally adjusted the fuel price with international price.

“It is completely impossible to give the huge amount of subsidy from government budgetary allocation or other sources of fund. The government had no alternative to increasing the price,” Tawfiq-e-Elahi added.

State minister for power and energy Enamul Haque, said around US$3 billion investment would be needed to implement the government vision of generating 500 megawatt power from solar energy by 2014.

“The government alone would not be able to generate all necessary fund for fulfilling its vision on solar energy. The local private investors would have to join the efforts in generating more power from renewable energy,” the minister added.