Solar Energy Development  Programme under  Renewable Energy Research Center (RERC) of Dhaka University.

• Name of the Organization: RENEWABLE ENERGY RESEARCH CENTRE (RERC) UNIVERSITY OF DHAKA, BANGLADESH

• Detail description of target and activities in the field of renewable energy  

 (Solar/Wind/Biomass/Hydro etc.): 

In 1981, the University of Dhaka set up the Renewable Energy Research Centre (RERC) with following aims and objects:

•  to organize research activities in the field of Solar, Wind and other alternative sources of energy;

• to encourage research projects for utilization of solar energy in Bangladesh;

• to help multidisciplinary research activities in this field;

• to look for international assistance and collaborations in this field;

• to co-ordinate and establish liaison with scientists and engineers working in other institutions inside and outside the country.

• to collect information and literature on researches in the fields of solar and other alternative energy sources and to disseminate them among the research workers.

 Research Activities: 

From the beginning till now RERC has taken up different research projects in which teachers, researchers and students of the Faculties of Science and Biological Sciences are involved. Research have been carried out on solar radiation, flat thermal collectors, concentrating parabolic collector (CPC), water heaters, solar cookers, fresnnel concentrating collectors, schottky type solar cell preparation, battery charge controller, PV lantern design and fabrication, PV water pump, PV refrigerator, PV stand-alone residential system, biogas, fast growing trees for biomass. 

I. Solar radiation study and Solar panels:

 Global and Diffuse radiation on horizontal surface have been measured by using Eppley pyranometers for several years. Studies have been made on different correlation between sunshine duration and global as well as diffuse radiation. Improved season dependent techniques have been developed for estimation of diffuse and global radiation from sunshine data. Again correlations between cloud cover and sunshine duration as well as those between rainfall amount and sunshine hour have been obtained. As a result estimations of radiation could be found for around 100 locations in Bangladesh and Solar Radiation Maps have been obtained. Computation and experimentation on the availability of solar radiation on tiled surfaces have been studied in detail. Hourly and daily tilt factors for Dhaka have been computed. Studies on optimization of tilt and azimuth angles have been made. A fixed tilt of 26⁰ is recommended for south facing collectors. Optimum monthly tilt and azimuth for further increase in availability of solar radiation by up to 25% have been proposed.

 A computer based solar radiation data accumulation system in nearing completion. By this system solar radiation data for 24 hours will be studied for Dhaka everyday. 

II. Solar PV systems: 

Schottky type solar cells have been prepared. The cells have been fabricated by direct painting of the dopant compound and subsequent heat treatment. A 100 watt DC PV water pump has been installed in the Energy Park. Its maximum capacity is 105 lit./min. Battery charge controllers have been designed and fabricated. Different types of PV lanterns were designed and fabricated and their performances have been tested. One room of Energy Park have been electrified with Solar electricity which runs a 56” ceiling fan, 60 watt incandescent light, and a 40w tube light and a Personal Computer.

III. Solar Thermal systems: 

Flat plate thermal collectors have been built using copper as well as corrugated galvanized iron sheets as absorber. Forced and natural circulation type flat plate collectors (400 liter, cap.) have been designed and fabricated in the Energy Park. These can be used in rural Hospital and small industry for hot water. Its temperature range is 55⁰-80⁰C. Different types of low cost solar water heaters for domestic use have also been designed and fabricated in this Park.

 Different types of box type Solar Cookers were designed, developed and fabricated in the Energy park. Their performances have been tested: this type of cooker can be used in the rural areas of Bangladesh for 8 months of the year. Arrangements have been made to supply a small amount of auxiliary electric energy to the solar cooker so that this may be used throughout the year at locations where electricity is available. A Fresnnel concentrating collector has been designed and fabricated for production of distilled water and candles. 

Education and Degree Schemes on Solar Energy: 

A large number of students did research for M. Sc. and M. Phil. and Ph. D. thesis in the Energy Park or in collaboration with RERC and obtained their degrees.  

RERC has a library and collects international journals related to renewable energy. 

International Workshops, National Exhibition: 

RERC has organized International Workshops on Renewable energy in 1988, 1993 and 1996. It also conducted a large number of Seminars. 

National exhibitions on Solar Energy Technology in1998, 2000 and 2002 were organized by RERC and Bangladesh Solar energy Society. 

Existing and Running Systems in the Energy Park 

PV systems available:

Solar Thermal Systems Available: 

• Solar water Heaters (Capacity around 500 liters) for Hospitals, Hostels, Hotels and Industrial use.
• Solar Water Heater (domestic use), 100 liters
• Fresnnel Concentrating Collector, Parabolic Trough Type Concentrating Collector
• Low Cost Water Heater, 200 liters
• Solar Cookers

Projects: 

RERC is assisting and coordinating research project (around 10) on Renewable Energy. It has also completed a number of project works on different areas of Renewable Energy. SWERA (Solar and Wind Energy Resource Assessment) (http:\\swera.unep.net) project assisted by UNEP is now going on. All the important Organizations and Institutions are associated in this work.