Power Development Board, PDB, is spending Tk 420 million to construct only two megawatt of wind power based power plant. Per unit cost of this plant will be Tk 16. On the other hand, recently, an Indian company, ‘Siddhant Wind Energy Private Limited’ got approval to construct a 30-megawatt wind power plant in Sonagazi, Feni. For each unit, they will pay Tk 9.49 or 11.1 Cents. This means the cost in a government plant is Tk 6.51 more.
Former DG of Power cell, BD Rahmatullah, said, “The wind turbines of the Netherlands is world known; the cost of each megawatt turbine will be between Tk 80 and 85 million and Tk 100 million with additional expenses.”
“In our country, roads are built at double the actual cost and this trend is seen in all areas,”
Initially, the rate of each unit of solar power was 17 or 18 cents which has now come down to 10 cents. A common belief is that government producing renewable energy at a low cost could have set an example for others to follow, but since government is producing power at a high rate, the cost is not coming down.
Specialists believe that the 5 to 6 metre/second wind power near the coastal areas can be used to produce power which will be economically lucrative.
Director of renewable energy division, engineer Nazmul Huq, says, “Hopefully, the project will go into production next December.”
Four turbines, each with a power of 500 kilowatts, will be established at a cost of Tk 420 million.
Per unit of power will cost Tk 16, he said.
The windmills will be established by the side of Jamuna Bridge and land has been leased from the Water Development Board, he added.
“The wind power here is 5 metre per second.”