China, Bangladesh launch joint venture for 100MW solar power plant

A new 100 megawatt (MW) solar power plant will be built at Madarganj of Jamalpur district by December 2025 with an investment of US$170 million.

A joint venture (JV) agreement between China's CREC International Renewable Energy Company and Bangladesh's state-owned B-R Powergen Limited (BRPL) was inked at Biduyt Bhaban in the city Thursday to build the power plant.

Chinese company will have 70 per cent stake in the JV, while the state-owned BRPL, jointly owned by Bangladesh Power Development Board and the Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (REB), will have 30 per cent stake in the JV.

Power Division senior secretary under the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources (MPEMR) Md Habibur Rahman was the chief guest at the event.

Speaking on the occasion Mr Rahman hoped that the country will be able to generate around 1,200 MW of electricity from renewable energy by 2030.

The government has been working to generate 40 per cent of the country’s overall electricity generation from clean energy by 2040, he added.

He urged the sponsor company to build the power plant in time.

 Some 241 families will be rehabilitated under the project where a primary school, health centre, mosque, market, pond and graveyard will also be built.

Separately, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) officially launched the Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL) financed Rooftop Solar Project (BRSP) in its campus Thursday.

The official ceremony declaring the project's commercial operation date (COD) was held at BUET's auditorium.

The 3.27 megawatt-peak (MWp) BRSP is a collaborative effort of BUET and GPPS Consortium Ltd.

Funded by IDCOL, the project is expected to generate substantial cost savings for BUET, reducing their electricity bills by an estimated Tk 600 million over the next 30 years.

Chaired by vice chancellor of BUET professor Dr Satya Prashad Majumder, executive director & CEO of IDCOL, Alamgir Morshed, deputy CEO & CFO of IDCOL S. M. Monirul Islam, managing director of the PEGEL a major shareholder of GPPS Consortium Ltd Asma Jahan Hoque and pro-VC of BUET Dr Abdul Zabbar Khan were the special guests at the funcdtion.

Addressing on the occasion, the IDCOL top brass lauded the BRSP as a crucial step forward for renewable energy in Bangladesh's education sector.

He emphasized the project's alignment with the government's commitment to clean energy and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.

Professor Majumder expressed his gratitude to IDCOL for their financial support, which played a key role in bringing this ambitious project to life. He also commended GPPS Consortium for their successful implementation despite challenges.

Azizjst@yahoo.com