It would do well for the authorities concerned to pay close attention to its spending
Bangladesh’s rapid ascent as a nation does not happen without adequate power generation, and with the country looking to only accelerate towards its eventual ambition of becoming a developed country in the next two decades, it is imperative that electricity generation remains top of mind.
However, with the threat of climate change worsening with each passing year, it is simply not feasible to generate all of our present and certainly future electricity from non-renewable sources such as fossil fuels.
While Bangladesh’s current reality when it comes to electricity and power generation compels us to rely heavily on non-renewable sources, we must look to correct this and shift to renewable sources to the best of our abilities.
To that end, it is good news to learn of the solar power plant that has been proposed, in a location beside the Rampal coal-fired power plant. The initiative, which will be set up by a Saudi-Bangladesh joint-venture company, is a step in the right direction to power generation in the country.
With that said, there is legitimate concern about the proposed price for the electricity generated from the plant; the government will need to spend about Tk10,761 crore for the entire tenure of the contract period.
With the cost of renewables reducing with each year, it would do well for the authorities concerned to pay close attention to its spending — Bangladesh’s development, much like any developing nation, will be heavily dependent on how monetary resources are efficiently utilized.
Moving forward, we hope that such projects involving renewable energy generation not only occur with more frequency, but that they are implemented efficiently, so that our energy generation reflects our aim to have sustainable development.
Source: Dhaka Tribune.