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Another wind-power plant is being established at Matarbari coast while several others are in the process for advancing Bangladesh's green-energy goal by utilising huge air-to-electricity potential the country holds.
A search for foreign funds for setting up the 42-megawatt-capacity plant has been launched, officials said Monday.
This planned one will be the second-biggest wind-power station after the recently launched 60MW wind-based plant at the coast of the Bay of Bengal in Cox's Bazar, they said.
Coal Power Generation Company Bangladesh Limited (CPGCBL) has decided to build the power station and sent a preliminary development project proposal (PDPP) to the Planning Commission (PC) for approval, a senior Power Division official said.
The 42MW plant is planned to be set up beside the 1200MW coal-fired power station at Matarbari hub on the Maheshkhali Island, he said.
The state-run CPGCBL is now searching foreign loans for installing the power station estimated to cost of Tk 1.21 billion, the official added.
Meanwhile, with the financial support of a Chinese company-SPIC Wuiling Power Corporation-US-DK Green Energy BD Ltd, a private company, set up the first biggest commercially operated 60MW wind-power plant in Cox's Bazar which started full-scale operation in March last, supplying power into the national grid.
The firm is selling the electricity generated from the plant to Bangladesh government at 12 US cents per unit (1 kWh) under an 18-year management contract.
A total of 22 wind turbines in Khurushkul, PM Khali, Chowfaldandi, and Pokkhali unions of Cox's Bazar near the seashore have already been generating the electricity.
A report of energytrackerasia, a global renewable-energy advocacy group, says the 724-km- long coast of Bangladesh is suitable for wind-power generation as there is "significant wind- power-generation potential. Bangladesh has vast potential to exploit this renewable energy source, which still remains untapped".
Each of the 22 turbines of the existing plant has a capacity of 3.0MW power, altogether generating 60 megawatts of electricity from wind blowing along the bay coast free of cost.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh's first wind-power project was a 0.9MW plant near the dam along the River Muhuri in Feni, constructed by Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) in 2005. Three years later, a 1.0MW wind plant was set up in Kutubdia, Cox's Bazar.
"Both plants are now out of operation for a lack of supervision and interest from the board," said one source.
The government has set a target to generate 10 per cent of electricity requirements from renewable energy by 2025.
Asked about the latest venture, a senior PC official said they had got the PDPP from CPGCBL that has sought approval for the 42MW wind-power project.
"The proposed cost of the project is comparatively higher. We have asked the company to rationalize the cost estimation and then send it again to the PC. Then we will consider approval," said a senior official.
Meanwhile, the government has also planned to construct three more wind projects with a cumulative power-generation capacity of 102 megawatts in Sirajganj, Bagerhat and Chuadanga.
Besides, contractor selection for a 50MW wind-power project in Chandpur and a 30MW plant in Feni is in the process.
In September 2022, the BPDB signed a contract with Mongla Green Power Limited firm for building a 55MW wind plant in Mongla, Bagerhat, where Bangladesh's second-largest seaport is situated.
Official data show Bangladesh's total power-generation capacity is around 22,000 MWs. Around 51 per cent of the capacity is natural gas-fired, while 27 per cent is from furnace oil, 6.0 per cent from gasoil or diesel and only 2.0 per cent from hydropower and solar, with another 5.0 per cent imported from India. The share of wind energy is almost zero.