The government has fixed a target for all power distribution companies to create 100 net metering subscribers within this fiscal year.
Relevant sections say that with the use of renewable energy, power production will rise, adding additional power to the national grid. Net metering involves producing power in one’s own place and then supplying the surplus to the national grid after own usage.
This system exists in many countries, including India and Sri Lanka.
Previously, a target of making 20 net metering subscribers within two months was given, but apart from Rural Electrification Board, REB, all others failed to meet the target.
Power department officials feel that if six distribution companies each create 100 net metering subscribers in six months, then solar power production can begin at the homes of 600 subscribers.
At the end of the month, the produced power by a subscriber will be taken into account to make the overall power bill, a system in which the subscriber will make a considerable saving.
Power department says, in October last, Bangladesh Palli Bidyutayan Board has started 4, Dhaka Power Distribution Company Limited, DPDC, 34, Dhaka Electric Supply Company, DESCO, 36 and Western Power Distribution Company, 5 net metering systems.
So far, only REB fulfilled the target and added 2.8 Megawatt power to the national grid.
MD of DPDC, Bikash Dewan, says, “We are trying our best to include metering systems and already established 45 systems.”
We are getting all kinds of subscribers from industrial to residential, he added.