Events :

Capacity Building Workshop of   NGO’s  involved with Renewable Energy Technologies In Bangladesh

Held in: January 23-24, 2008

Venue : Local Government Engineering Department (LGED)

Focus : Discussion on scaling up decentralized energy in Bangladesh and best RET practice in the SAARC region based on “ the Renewable Energy Technology and Financial manuals for Sustainable Energy solution to reduce poverty in South Asia( SA).

Workshop Findings:

Action for next three years  

• National action platform for 3 years
• Approve SEDA
• Exempt imposed duty on solar module
• RET policy should be nationalized by NGO and has to be implemented
• RE Ministry should be formed
• Tax holiday for RET business organization/implanting agencies
• RET institute should be implemented
• Government of Bangladesh has to take steps for RET components to make available
• More awareness programme
• Micro Utility
• Micro Finance
• Subsidy  for hardcore poor
• Livelihood information
• Operation & monitoring system
• Update manuals and distribute it to all participants within one month
• Develop questionnaire and distribute
• Arrange meeting, Technical – April 2008, Financial – April – 2008
• Output of meeting : Recommendations , follow-up by GS as lead organization
• Ensure easy availability of spare parts/ accessories of home systems

Capacity Building

1. TOT for technical , management, financial
2. Exposure visit – Local/national ,  International
3. Information dissemination
4. Training for supervisors and technicians
5. Low import rate of capital should be informed
6. Introduce speed money / soft loan
7. Constitute association for RET stakeholders
8. HR development of all stakeholders
9. Monitoring & evaluation team for RET
10. Software for MIS/AIS(Customized)
11. Introduce RET in the national curriculum
12. Common / Uniform Financial model
13. Capacity building to the financial people – training
14. Strong software for RET

GS Workshop

1. Focal point has to  set up a network  by Grameen Shakti
2. GTC for women development
3. Self financing model for large size biogas plants
4. Micro – Finance

Policy  for implementation of RET

• More awareness programme by GOB,  donor and IPO
• Strengthening activities of Inforse in Bangladesh
• Federation of stakeholders in Bangladesh

Weakness observed on  Policy  for implementation of RET

• No institutions
• Policy yet to finalized ( draft stage)
• Lack of commitment
• IDCOL providing limited financing
• Have to pay RE companies tax to GOB
• Tax / duty imposed on solar module by GOB
• Tax impose of tax at import level by govt.
• RET institution

Strengths observed on  Policy  for implementation of RET

• Government took initiatives
• Micro finance will intern them the RET
• IDCOL / GTZ are financing
• Developing institutional capacity gradually
• Policy Change
• Focal point has to start to dialogue with govt. agencies

Grameen Shakti – do in the next 6 months

• Established a network with in the Inforse members
• Disseminate RET information among the inforse members