1. Financial and social benefits of building energy
lending program
Bangladesh
Success Story
ZFEP Stand presentation
Abu Dhabi
20 January, 2014

2. My Experience
 35 years experience in finding sustainable market-based
solutions to the social and economic problems faced by rural
people of Bangladesh.
 In 1996, started introducing the renewable energy technology
specially Solar Home System in rural Bangladesh.
 Introduced installment-based payment which reduced the
cost of a solar home system to the equivalent of monthly
kerosene costs.
 Vision is to transform Bangladesh into the First Solar Nation
in the world by reaching 75 million energy starved people
with renewable energy by the year 2020.

3. Installing 7.5 million Solar Home Systems (SHS) in
rural areas of Bangladesh by the year 2020
Until December 2013 : 2.8 million
Solar Home System (SHS) has been
Installed in rural Off-Grid Areas of
Bangladesh.
1.
More than 80,000 SHS’s are being installed
in off-grid areas of Bangladesh every
month.
2.
2013 (December) Number of beneficiary is
over 20 million rural people.
3.
Over 100 Mega Watt Electricity is being
produced from Solar Home System.
4.
More than 100,000 new jobs been created in
the renewable energy sector.

4. My Vision: Bangladesh
One of the First Solar Nations in the world and to create
1,00,000 Green Job in Renewable energy Sector by year 2020
 Installing 7.5 million Solar Home Systems (SHS) in rural areas of
Bangladesh.
 Expanding to urban areas to transform every building into power-house and
feed the access to national grid.
 Replacing electric / diesel irrigation pumps with solar powered pumps.
 Powering education, health, information technology and telecommunication
in rural areas.
 Going for low cost solar solutions such as street lighting, billboards, solar
lanterns, solar charging station etc.
 Coping with natural disasters such as through solar water desalination for
drinking purpose, emergency lighting, signaling, water purification etc.
 Creating 100,000 Green Jobs, especially for women by year 2020.

5. A Green Future For Rural People
 Coping with natural disasters
through
Solar
Water
Desalination, Emergency Lighting
& Early Warning Systems
 20 million
Stoves
Improved
Cooking
 100,000 Green Jobs especially
for young village women.

6. Creating Eco-villages as a Response for
Climate Mitigation and Adaptation
Sustainable Eco Villages
 Carbon Neutral
 Water Conservation, Rain Water
Harvesting and Purification
 Production of Organic Agriculture
and Fertilizer
 Planting Sustainable:
I.
Fruit Trees
II.
Medicinal Plants
III.
Timber Wood
 Local and High Efficiency Building
Materials
 Biogas and Improved Cooking
Stoves
First Taste of Electricity from Solar

7. Sustainable Eco Villages (Cont.)
 Powered by Renewables
 Natural and Low Power Lighting
 Renewable Energy Entrepreneurial
Neighborhood
 Eco Lifestyle Education
 Low Power Ubiquitous Wireless
Connectivity
 Intelligent Power Management
 Maximizing Battery Life
 Micro Utility
 Climate Monitoring Systems
 Advanced Warning System for Bad
Weather
 Using a microphone to alert
people for evacuation
 Improved Communitywide Safety
Technician Training Session at
Green Technology Center

8. Challenges to overcome for
Future
Challenges:
 Maintenance is the key to sustain the large scale solar home system
program in Bangladesh.
 Maintenance cost of installed systems will gradually increase once
the systems are paid off.
 Shortage of skilled technician to provide the after sales service
required.
 Shortage of quality spare parts. (Charge Controller, Battery
Charger, Service battery, cables & Switch)

9. Grass Root Energy
Entrepreneur
Solutions:

Rural based Grass Root Entrepreneur will need to be created.

Proper technical trainings and tools will be provided to take
the service to client’s door steps.

Trained entrepreneurs will maintain the supply chain and
keep linkage between the clients and supplier.

Online / mobile payments and inventory control may be
introduced and maintained by the local Entrepreneurs.

Develop young men & women local level technician s.

The opportunity of Thousands green jobs will possibly be
created by the Green Energy Entrepreneurs nationwide.

Quality of the renewable energy program will improve.
Grass Root Entrepreneur

At
Mawna, Gazipur
Climate awareness
Entrepreneur.
will
be
created
by
these
Green

10. Solar Irrigation
Year Round Water Source
For Cultivation and to increase agriculture production
•
Solar Energy is used for irrigation
in the fertile areas of Bangladesh.
• Guaranteed water supply in off-grid
areas.
• Farmers are vastly benefitted
because of this in rural and remote
areas.
• Multiple crops are being cultivated
year round because of Solar
irrigation pump.

11. Over 2.8 million Solar Home Systems have
already been installed

 Solar energy is changing the
face of the remote, rural areas of
Bangladesh.
 It’s the fastest expansion of
solar energy anywhere in the
world.
 Rural businesses are booming
with the support from Solar
energy.

12. A Growing Market of over 75 million
people
Our Achievements :
 An
innovative
financial
mechanism replacing monthly
kerosene costs
 Rural level assembly, repair &
maintenance of solar accessories
resulting low cost maintenance.
 All components & accessories
produced locally brought the
price of SHS affordable for rural
energy starved people.
 VAT/Tax removed from solar
panel import affecting the lower
price of SHS.
School children can study better by Solar
powered Light than Kerosene lantern.

13. Our Programs Change Lives
 Environment : Replacing kerosene :
500 kg/ year CO2 replaced per 50W
system , reducing fire hazards, in-door
air pollution and improving health
 Women: Reduced household burden for
women
 Communication: Access to TV, mobile
phones and internet
 Education: Many rural schools installing
solar power, Solar powered computers
 Healthcare Facilities :Solar lights, Solar
powered refrigerators in Clinics,

Disaster management:
During
cyclone Sidr in 2007, PV was a lifeline.
The only homes with light were those
with PV.
Clinic at Rangamati

14. We serve the most disadvantaged, isolated
people in coastal belts and islands

15. We Create and Facilitate for Rural
Businesses
Facilitating home based business ventures
 Increasing income through extended
business hours, reduced energy cost
 Micro-utility Model- Sharing a Energy to
reduce cost and increase income
 Mobile Phones: Solar powered mobile
phones, TVs and internet increase business
 Small Solar Home Systems : Popular
among low income household helping to
replace kerosene and generate income
 Solar runs computers in off-grid areas

16. Creating A Solar World
For 1.4 Billion energy starved people around the
world
Renewable Energy Technologies such as Solar Home System, BioGas, Improved Cook Stove (ICS) can give
unlimited energy without damaging the environment.
Let us talk about its POTENTIAL

17. We have successfully
created Green Jobs for Rural Women
Women as Solar Ambassadors to their Communities
•
Pioneered & established rural based Green
Technology Centers (GTC) across Bangladesh.
•
Trained over 5000 rural women as Solar
technicians and entrepreneurs through GTCs.
Zayed Future Energy Scholarship Winners
•
Created decent jobs for women in their home
villages .
•
80% solar accessories assembly takes place at
GTCs .

18. Creating Green Jobs
 Expansion of Renewable Energy is also
creating green job in this sector.
 Women Technician are being created in
Grassroots level to take the service at the
door steps.
 Green women entrepreneurs are being
created.
 Socio Economic condition of rural
Bangladesh is being changed by renewable
energy.

19. Venturing into New Frontiers –
Ushering in the Solar Century
 Each Urban Building becomes a Power
House.
 Solar Panels for Irrigation: Reallocating
Grid electricity through converting
irrigation pumps to Solar Energy.
 Powering Mobile Telecommunications Base
stations : 22,000 base stations can be
powered by Solar (No Diesel)
 Small Solar Solutions in urban areas: Solar
power street lights and bill boards . Small
solar lanterns for Rickshaws, small
shops, and slum areas

20. Urban Solar Energy
Solar Energy Systems are
being installed in Urban
areas of Bangladesh.
Government of Bangladesh
Renewable energy Policy
has set a minimum energy
of 3% should be produced
from Solar Power in order to
get the Grid Power
Connection.

21. Venturing into New Frontiers Ushering in the Solar Century
 Mini-grid : For rural areas with
the potential to connect to the
main grid
 Solar
Thermal
:
cities
, hospitals, hotels, hostels etc
 Solar–Wind Hybrid Systems
 Powering small manufacturing
units i.e. power looms
Bringing development in
the rural areas

22. Bright Green Energy Foundation
(BGEF) at a Glance:
• Started in January 2010.
• Over 300 branch offices in 10 different zones.
• More than 1500 highly qualified staff members to take the
service at the consumer’s door step.
• Over 75,000 SHS installed till date, over 5,000 SHS being
installed per month.
• Over 525,000 beneficiaries of Solar Energy.
• Four (4) Green Technology Centers (GTC) are in operation till
to date and successfully training 60 to 100 women green
technicians each month.
• Over 3,000 Improved Cooking Stoves installed till date.
• Bio-gas program is expanding at a commendable rate.

23. First-Ever Zayed Future Energy Prize
HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme
Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, presents the first Zayed Future Energy Prize to Dipal
Chandra Barua, in honour of innovation and commitment in alternative energy, at the Abu Dhabi
National Exhibition Centre, January 19, 2009.

24. Thank you
for your Kind Attention