Renewable Energy Development & Energy Efficiency Measure of Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB)

Solar Home Lighting System under Solar PV Electrification Project in the CHT Regions:

BPDB has implemented an excellent Solar PV electrification project in the Chittagong Hill Tracts region with support from  Ministry of  Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs.   The main reasons for undertaking this SPV project are given below:

• The extension as well as the maintenance of the National Grid into these areas is very highly expensive, difficult and risky. 

• The transportation of fuels for the localized generators in these areas is also very highly expensive, difficult and risky.

• The load density of these areas is low and disperse.

Considering above characteristics of the remote and hilly areas, the Solar PV electrification has emerged as the most appropriate technological option for the electrification of these areas. The people are enthusiastically purchasing the Solar Home Lighting Systems(SHLS). More people will be brought under SHLS for their households. They are mass interest among CHT people to procure SHLS  for their households but also giving monthly payments regularly.

The BPDB’s SPV electrification project consists of the following Solar PV Systems:

Solar Home Lighting System :

1100 Solar Home Systems of 120 Wp each

Borkol Upazila = 300 SHLS

• Borkol Upazila(Rangamati District), Total SHLS installed 300, System Capacity 120Wp(each), Loads 4 CFL Lamp (11W each), 1 TV (15" BW)Point.

• Hardware ; 1 Deep Cycle Battery with 130Ahr , 1 PV panel with 120 Wp

• System delivery mechanism, BPDB handed over system by taking  2,500TK  from users and monthly 200 TK installment to be paid to BPDB for 20 Years period.

• 2 LED  lamp with capacity 0.3Wp   

 

• Juraichari Upazila(Rangamati District), Total SHLS installed 300, System Capacity 120Wp(each), Loads 4 CFL Lamp (11W each), 1 TV (15" BW)Point.

• Hardware ; 1 Deep Cycle Battery with 130Ahr , 1 PV panel with 120 Wp

• System delivery mechanism, BPDB handed over system by taking  2,500TK  from users and monthly 200 TK installment to be paid to BPDB for 20 Years period.

• 2 LED  lamp with capacity 0.3Wp   

• Thanchi Upazila(Bandarban District), Total SHLS installed 500, System Capacity 120Wp(each), Loads 4 CFL Lamp (11W each), 1 TV (15" BW)Point.

• Hardware ; 1 Deep Cycle Battery with 130Ahr , 1 PV panel with 120 Wp

• System delivery mechanism, BPDB handed over system by taking  2,500TK  from users and monthly 200 TK installment to be paid to BPDB for 20 Years period.

• 2 LED  lamp with capacity 0.3Wp   

The contents of this project are quite unique in Bangladesh. All systems are the most suitable options for the electrification of the remote areas, development centers, health care centers etc. Only the BPDB solar PV project in the CHT regions has covered all these solar PV items which are most essential for the remote localities.   

This unique project is being implemented in three phases:

• First Phase in Jurachhari Upazilla

• Second Phase in Barkal Upazilla

• Third Phase in Thanchi Upazilla

A Beneficiary Management Committee (BMC) has been formed with representatives from the government offices and local hill tracts communities. The BMC is responsible for revenue collections from the solar electricity consumers, operation & maintenance of the SPV systems and also for the future further expansion of the systems to more households.