Thursday, 21 November, 2024
Stretching northward from the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh constitutes roughly the eastern two-thirds of the deltaic plain of the Ganga and Jamuna rivers. The economy of Bangladesh is a major developing market economy. With a GDP of 460 billion [1] , it is the second-largest economy in South Asia. The power generating sector of Bangladesh largely depends on natural gas since the reserve of natural gas is higher compared to all other fossil fuel-based energy resources. [2]
Although gas will remain the main source of power generation, a more diversified mix is developing, and sources also include coal, nuclear energy, and renewable energy. [3]
Fig 1: Installed capacity trend in Bangladesh( IRENA 2022 )
[3] Bangladesh 2022 (iaea.org)
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At the end of 2018, the installed renewable power capacity in Bangladesh was just 579 MW. The majority was attributed to solar PV and small-scale hydropower. At present, the figure is slightly higher, standing at 649 MW. [4]
Bangladesh has strong potential for biomass gasification-based electricity. More common biomass resources available in the country are rice husk, crop residue, wood, jute stick, animal waste, municipal waste, sugarcane bagasse etc. This technology can be disseminated on a larger scale for electricity generation. Micro hydro and minihydro have limited potential in Bangladesh, with the exception of Chittagong and the Chittagong Hill tracts. Wind Energy has also made some inroads, but its potential is mainly in coastal areas, and offshore islands with strong wind regimes. These coastal settings afford good opportunities for wind-powered pumping and electricity generation. Presently there are 2 MW of installed wind turbines at Feni and Kutubdia. [5]
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Bangladesh set up its first hydrogen energy laboratory with a small hydrogen production plant in Chittagong, a port city on the south-eastern coast of Bangladesh. The plant was inaugurated by the Bangladesh Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR) on January 20 th , 2021.Currently, the plant will use waste and biomass as a feedstock. The plant is expected to play a key role in the Bangladesh hydrogen industry and set a key R&D milestone that will help develop hydrogen plants on a large commercial and industrial scale. It is also planned that using water electrolysis technology to produce hydrogen will also be employed soon. [6]