Solar Power Potential from Industrial Buildings and Impact on Electricity Supply in Bangladesh

Muhammad Talut, AbuBakr S. Bahaj and Patrick James
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Muhammad Talut: Energy & Climate Change Division, Sustainable Energy Research Group, Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 7QF, UK
AbuBakr S. Bahaj: Energy & Climate Change Division, Sustainable Energy Research Group, Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 7QF, UK
Patrick James: Energy & Climate Change Division, Sustainable Energy Research Group, Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 7QF, UK

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 11, 1-17

Abstract: Bangladesh has a rapidly increasing population and coupled with healthy economic growth, is resulting in a rising energy demand. The country also aims to increase its renewable share of electricity to 10% by 2030. However, due to limited wind resources, solar energy seems to be most appropriate to deliver such a target. However, in a land-scarce country, this presents a major challenge, which this work aims to partially address. Being a globally leading producer of commodities, Bangladesh has a considerable number of large manufacturing plants with appropriate roofs that could be used for deploying solar energy conversion systems at scale. A methodology is presented which identified and assessed 6045 such plants, which have roof areas ranging from 100 m 2 to 50,000 m 2 , and modelled the deployment of solar photovoltaic (PV) technology that can provide power through site available grid infrastructure. Such deployment takes advantage of net metering regulations to enhance the case for such power generation. A techno-economic assessment was also presented, addressing how such utilisation can support the 10% renewables target of Bangladesh without impacting scarce lands. The results showed that around 7.4 GWp of PV capacity can be achieved on such roofs with a corresponding annual electricity generation of 11 TWh. This represents more than 6% of Bangladesh’s current electricity consumption and more than half of the 2030 target. Furthermore, the deployment will save 13,000 acres of farmland, as well as providing power through site available grid infrastructure saving on investment if the systems are deployed on land. These results are likely to influence policy to support the presented proposition, not only in terms of increasing the renewable energy share in the country’s electricity supply mix but also in conserving much-needed land for agriculture.

Keywords: net metering; Bangladesh; renewable electricity; solar; photovoltaic (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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