Renewable energy was in the spotlight on Thursday (Apr 4) at the 2019 ULAB-Keele Renewable Energy Symposium organised by the Center for Sustainable Development at University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB), in partnership with the University of Keele, UK.
The Renewable Energy Symposium examined the energy challenge in Bangladesh, and internationally, with a specific focus on small and remote communities and islands, convening representatives from academia, the government, and the development and private sectors.
Chief Guest Helal Uddin, Chairman of the Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (SREDA), explained how the major limitation in Bangladesh for expanding solar energy is land availability.
He said that by encouraging businesses and residences to mount solar panels on buildings, particularly through the massive Solar Home system programme in Bangladesh for example, this obstacle can be overcome. This is crucial if Bangladesh is to meet its ambitious target to generate 10 percent of its total power from renewables, up from 3 percent today.
Dr Sherine Ibrahim of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) observed that ULAB’s event was first he had seem that facilitated and emphasised a real interaction between academics and other stakeholders from the development sphere and private sector. His presentation emphasised the importance of capacity building in ADB’s work supporting the energy sector in Bangladesh.
Dr Sharon George from Keele University introduced the specific issues facing the UK in expanding the proportion of renewable energy in the national energy mix, before introducing a presentation of Keel’s innovative Smart Energy Network Demonstrator (SEND).
Dr Adam Moolna discussed the use of innovative design to integrate biodiversity and other sustainable development objectives into the design of renewable energy infrastructure, in establishing the “blue economy”.
Prof M Rezwan Khan, Honorary Adviser at ULAB, reviewed the various options Bangladesh has to ensure sustainable energy supply. Noting the decrease in gas availability, he also lauded the potential of Solar PV and the Solar Home Systems project. Trade also has potential in the wider South Asian neighbourhood according to him.
Md Mustafizur Rahman, COO of Rahimafrooz, discussed his company’s work in implementing Solar Home System (SHS) installation in remote areas, and highlighted the potential of solar-powered irrigation, with 1.3 million installations currently irrigating 120 million acres of paddy fields already.
Parveen Begum and Mark Maurice from Solisco spoke about the commercial applications of solar charging for electric cars.
Other Speakers included Prof Zoe Robinson from Keele University, Prof Carolyn Roberts from Gresham College, London, Utbul Bhattacharjee from UNDP and Prof Farseem Mannan Mohammedy, Director of the Center for Energy Studies (CES), Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). Dr Samiya Selim, Director of the Centre for Sustainable Development and Prof Imran Rahman, Special Advisor to the ULAB Board, gave the welcome and opening addresses.