For controlling global warming by maintaining carbon emissions, it is essential to reduce natural disasters, ensure energy security, mainly focus on using renewable energy instead of fossil fuels energy and developing sustainable energy, providing energy security, and reducing carbon emissions, building an energy-conscious society in Bangladesh.
Because fossil fuels energy gradually ends day by day, it is harmful to our world’s climate. So, it is necessary to find an alternative source of power. Sustainable and renewable energy is going to be the source of power. Bangladesh is a developing country. Geographically, Bangladesh is located in a mineral-prone area.
It has some natural mines, which are the energy source of the country. But this energy is not sufficient for its needs. Mineral resources will one day run out if continuously used it. Therefore, a huge amount of energy import from abroad every year, and it is very costly. So, the government takes an alternative plan to create energy from renewable sources.
Foundation of SREDA
Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (SREDA) is an agency under the Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources (MPEMR) and started its works on 22 May 2014. This agency works in Bangladesh to build it up a developed country by 2041.
Through the SREDA act in 2012, the government has decided to sustain at least 10% renewable energy of the total energy. After 2012, Bangladesh joined the International Energy Agency (IEA). Md. Helal Uddin is the current chairman of the SREDA.
What is Renewable And Sustainable Energy?
Renewable and Sustainable energy defines the energy that can be replenished and reused after use. Which never ends. For example, solar energy, wind energy, tidal energy, geothermal energy, wave energy, bio-gas, and hydroelectric power.
Possibility of Renewable And Sustainable Energy
Bangladesh had experience with sustainable and renewable energy in 1956 by implementing the country’s first hydropower plant on the Karnafuli River at Kaptai in Chittagong. In the mid-eighties in Sylhet, a private enterprise played a pivotal role in setting up the first solar home system.
Bangladesh is a river basin country. It has a vast sea like the Bay of Bengal, which is almost equal to its mainland. So, Bangladesh also has a potential opportunity for sustainable and renewable energy development in its area.
The government of Bangladesh also planned to build a tidal barrage in the coastal area in the southern part of its area to utilize tidal power. This infrastructure helps to generate electricity. Scientists are questing a place to set up a workstation to generate power through the ocean wave. Solar and wind energy are implemented now, this time in Bangladesh.
All of them are utilized to produce electricity for the national grid in the Bangladesh power sector. Geothermal energy is not used at this time due to some restrictions. Perhaps in the future, it will be implemented and will work successfully. The incentive is above that notice us to infinite possibilities of sustainable and renewable energy development in Bangladesh.
Future Plan of SREDA
SREDA will maintain fewer carbon emissions in the natural climate by improving and expanding sustainable energy and building energy-conscious among the nation in the world. There is a vast potential for offshore and onshore-based wind power plants in the country’s coastal areas. The plan of SREDA is given below:
- Implementing policies, laws, regulations related to sustainable energy.
- Maintain contact with the external environment.
- Bringing all concerned to the same platform for the purpose.
- Please respect the environment and protect it.
- Aims and objectives in an environmentally and socially accountable way
- Increasing the production of renewable energy
- Increasing the amount of fuel savings
- Energy savings will be 15% of total fuel consumption by 2021 and 20% by 2030
- A plan has been taken to update the Renewable Energy Policy, 2008.
- Make awareness among the industrial establishments to install solar rooftop systems on a commercial basis.
- Surveys and GIS mapping on biomass and biogas fuels.
- Generate electricity from the waste.
- Taken a plan to set up a floating solar power plant on the sea Bay of Bengal. (Floating solar PV)
SREDA’s Functions
The functions of the Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (SREDA) are as follows:
- Make an awareness in the people about conservation and efficient use of electricity and fuel.
- Set up several laboratories for developing sustainable and renewable energy-consuming equipment.
- Creating a group of skillful, talented, qualified, and trained manpower to implement SREDA’s program helps achieve this organization’s goal.
- Create an opportunity for entrepreneurs to invest in the sustainable and renewable energy sector.
- Necessary convention with various ministries, departments, and agencies on sustainable energy.
- Make funds for research and training in this regard on utilizing its works with various related technologies, including preparing the inventory and updating them.
- Identifying the geographical location to set up sustainable and renewable energy-consuming power plant extraction for commercial use
SREDA’s Achievement in Bangladesh
SREDA has earned acclaimed achievements in the last five years. Some of the critical achievement is given below:
- Declare “Energy Efficiency and Conservation Rules 2018” and “Energy Audit Regulations 2018”
- Put a Contribution to the power sector by installing renewable energy-based systems.
- Install more than 6 million solar panel systems in the household and 2000 solar irrigation pumps for agricultural use in Bangladesh.
- Install 26 solar mini-grid projects and distribute 10,000 solar systems among the poor people of the Chittagong Hill tracts region.
- Taken a plan to 100 MW utility-scale solar park project and implement 200 MW solar power project.
- Foundation solar street lights project in remote areas in the country and implement solar drinking water systems to supply potable water to the water disease-affected areas.
- Build power distribution utilities, EPC companies, and potential entrepreneur groups through training and workshops on rooftop solar expansion.
Conclusion
Fossil fuel power is limited. It will end one day. On the other hand, fossil fuels emit carbon and other hazardous toxins into our environment. Thus, sustainable and renewable energy is the source of energy use in our future world because it does not emit carbon and other hazardous toxins into the environment.
Bangladesh has the opportunity to implement sustainable and renewable energy for its national needs. Now alternative options have been used in the power sector in Bangladesh and try to spread electricity universally. Sustainable and renewable energy should be implemented around the world to reduce global warming.
