Roof-top solar energy project progressing  at snail's pace

The ambitious roof-top solar energy project of the Power division appears to be progressing at snail's pace due to lack of accountability and strong monitoring by the utility agencies, expert feels.
Reviewing the progress, Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (SREDA) is set to introduce "Net Metering" system replacing the "Feed in Tariff" system to benefit the users who installed the roof-top solar panels earlier.
"In the name of giving incentive to the consumers, the utility agencies are providing faulty meters. People of the agencies do not like to monitor the meters or visit the consumers' houses frequently and know there's' pain or success in this regard," Professor Dr Saiful Haque, RE expert and a teacher of
the Dhaka University told the daily Observer on Saturday.
The government has set a target to generate 1,000 megawatt (MW) in 2021 and 4,000-MW in 2030 from renewable energy, which is 450 MW (including the Kaptai hydropower) at present.
"The government has already approved a policy aimed at ensuring ten percent renewable energy supply to the national power grid by the year 2021," Power Division secretary Dr. Ahmed Kaikus.
However, the government has a strategy to generate 24,000-MW electricity by 2021. Currently, the generation capacity of the country is 15,821 MW, the secretary added.
Professor Saiful said the investor are facing serious problem in terms of available land and shortage of fund, which are hampering implementation of the solar projects smoothly, he added.
Power Cell Director Mohammad Hossain expressed displeasure at the slow progress. He admitted that there was some delay at the ministry. He said "we earmarked some char areas, including Hyamchar, Gangachar and some areas in Patuakhali districts."
"The utility agencies will go for tender soon to generate more from RE, however, they (utilities) will install the evacuation system and the agency investors will sale their products on "Plug and process" basis," Mohammad Hossain said.
As per the roof-top solar initiative, SREDA offers a subsidy up to 50 per cent from 1 to 5 kv roof-top projects and the remaining has to be borne by the customer.
The suppliers present pointed out that support from both the banks and the SREDA was minimal and if the project was to gain momentum, the banks had to come forward with loans to the customers and the SREDA had to speed up the sanction of subsidy, Power Cell DG said.
Recently, the authority (SREDA) has conducted a meeting on green projects where both the public and private sector entrepreneurs' narrated their field level experience and problems in implementing their projects. That meeting identified the two hurdles in implementing renewable projects.   
"The private players are facing serious hurdle in doing "green energy" business as they failed to achieve "confidence" in banking sector. The unavailability of land is a major hurdle in implementing green energy business by the state owned utility agencies," Siddique Zobayer,member of SREDA said.
In November 2015, SREDA has targeted to produce 3,100 MW of electricity from solar and wind resources by 2021. The state owned authority said the landmark project comprising one or more solar based power plants with an aggregate capacity of up to 200 MW and wind -based 20 MW to 30 MW power plants is expected to be installed in the coastal belt.
According to the policy, the state owned six power generation companies (each) will produce 100 MW power from wind turbine and 455 MW from the solar panels by 2021. The private sector will implement the remaining 2,045 MW solar and wind projects to be set up through IPP, joint venture and under the Emergency Energy and Power Supply Special Act, Power Division official said.
Presently solar power accounts for about 1 per cent of the energy mix.
"Power Development has issued a LOI (letter of intent) and signed PPA with 15 companies to install 1000MW solar panels,  we are expecting that it will be commissioned by next year," a senior official of the power division said.
However, the government had already installed 3.5 million solar panels and is set to install 2.5 million within one and half years.