Current Status of Renewable Energy Sector in Bangladesh and a ...

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADVANCED RENEWABLE ENERGY RESEARCH Md. Habib Ullah, et al., Vol. 1, Issue. 11, pp. 618-627, 2012

Current Status of Renewable Energy Sector in Bangladesh and a Proposed Grid Connected Hybrid Renewable Energy System Md. Habib Ullah*, Tamzidul Hoque, Md Musaddaqul Hasib Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology, Dhaka, Bangladesh *Corresponding author’s email address: [email protected] 

available in the country. The potential non-exhaustive sources of energies, available in the form solar, biomass, biogas, hydropower and wind, can be harnessed to provide an environmentally sustainable energy security, as well as affordable power supply to the off-grid rural areas of the country. To this end, effec tive utilization of renewable energy resources has been adopted as a policy of the Government of Bangladesh (GOB) [4]. Different government, semi government and nongovernment organizations (NGOs) have been working separately or jointly to disseminate renewable energy technologies (RET) throughout the country over a significant period, as has been repor ted in the recent literature [5, 6]. However, prospective planning and comprehensive understanding of this dynamic field requires continuous assessment. Moreover, the progression, as well as regressions, in this sector should be continually scrutinized. Motivated by these objectives, we present in this paper a contemporary scenario of the renewable energy r elated activities in Bangladesh. Based on fieldwork, covering discussions with key figures of the public and private sector, and exhaustive literature review, we demonstrate here the advancement in this field with respect to physical progress, research activities and infrastructural development. Also a comparison of the five forms of renewable energy r esources in Bangladesh has been drawn on the basis of the output power calculation of each sector.

Abstract— Power is one of the most important factors for a developing country like Bangladesh. Like the rest of the countries of the world, the demand for power is increasing day by day in our country. At present, power failure has become an acute problem for this country. In recent times, establishment of important physical infrastructures, setting up of new power plants and the pace of industrialization in the country has slowed down due to energy supply shortage. The sluggish industrialization which has hindered development activities is apprehended to create a negative impact on employment and consequently on the people’s livelihood. Realizing the necessity for its improvement, we proposed grid connected hybrid renewable system in which the load can take power from both the proposed system and grid. In our proposed system, the grid can use the residue power which is left out after the load is supplied completely. Index Terms— Biogas, Biomass, Gasification, Hybrid system, Solar energy, Wind energy.

I.

INTRODUCTION

Low-income developing countries like Bangladesh are very much susceptible to the setbacks arising from the ongoing energy crisis. Natural gas lies at the heart of the country's energy usage, accounting for around 72% of the total commercial energy consumption and 81.72% of the total electricity generated [1, 2]. However, the waning gas resources suggest that the country will face deficit of 142 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) in 2011 and it will rise to 1714 mmcfd by 2019-20. Even if Bangladesh's GDP growth r emains as low as 5.5 percent till 2025, the country will need to add 19,000 MW of additional power, causing the gas demand to spiral up to 4,567 mmcfd by 2019-20 [3]. Such an overwhelming dependence on bio fuel has brought into focus the substantial amount of renewable energy r esources

II. OVERVIEW OF CURRENT RENEWABLE ENERGY SITUATION IN BANGLADESH In our country renewable energy such as biomass, solar power and wind power are being used since time immemorial. Especially in areas which are outside gas coverage, usage of biomass for cooking a nd solar power and wind for drying of different grains as well

Manuscript Received Dec. 10, 2012; Revised Dec. 28, 2012; Accepted Dec. 30, 2012.

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as clothes are known to all. However, we are still lagging far behind in the scientific use of such energy. Moreover, the use of renewable energy has become popular worldwide in view of depleti ng reserve of non-renewable fossil fuel. Renewable energy is environment-friendly. At pr esent, the different categories of renewable energy that are being used in limited ways in our country are as follows:

Ta bl e 1. SHS's i ns ta l l a ti on up to Februa ry 2012 [9] Partner Organization

Number of SHSs Installed

Grameen Shakti

750,657

RSF

199,209

BRAC

75,440

Srizony Bangladesh

54,011

Hilful Fuzul Samaj Kallyan Sangstha

32,630

UBOMUS

23,651

Solar power generation using solar rays

BRIDGE

19,148

Integrated Development Foundation

12,618

TMSS

11,787

Wind-mill power generation using wind power Hydro-electricity Production of bio-gas using waste Electricity produced by Biomass Gasification Method using wood, rice husk, etc.

PDBF

9,869

SEF

16,783

AVA

10,564

DESHA

9,593

A. Solar Energy

BGEF

13,684

Solar Energy is a great source for solving power crisis in Bangladesh. Bangladesh is situated between 20.30 and 26.38 degrees north latitude and 88.04 and 92.44 degrees east which is an ideal location for solar energy utilization [8]. At this position the amount of hours of sunlight each day throughout a year is shown in the following graph in the Figure-1 [7]. The highest and the lowest intensity of direct radiation in W/m² are also shown in the Figure-1 [7].

RDF

15,911

COAST

6,181

INGEN

8,487

CMES

5,543

NUSRA

7,651

RIMSO

6,798

Shubashati

4,933

REDI

5,209

GHEL

4,981

SFDW

7,417

PMUK

2,046

Patakuri

2,087

ADAMS

2,433

AFAUS

1,003

Xenergeia

252

Other

389

Total

1,320,965

Figure 1. The amount of hours of sunlight in Bangladesh

Infrastructure development company limited (IDCOL) has supported NGOs in installation of solar home systems (SHSs) and a total of 1,320,965 SHSs having capacity of about more than 36.5 MW have been installed upto February 2012 [12]. Bangladesh power development board (BPDB) has implemented an excellent Solar PV electrification project in the Chittagong hill tracts region. The Solar PV electrification has emerged as the most appropriate technological option for the electrification of these areas [10]. A 10 kW central AC solar PV system has been installed in one selected market in each of the thr ee Rangamati district’s sub-districts. With these systems, the shops of that market have been electrified with normal AC electricity [11].

The amount is significant considering the upward trend of the number of SHSs (Solar Home System) installations in the country.

14% 11%

26%

18%

20%

11%

Dhaka : 346,161 Chittagong : 257,578 Khulna : 146,388 Barishal : 245,185 Sylhet : 140,386 Rajshahi : 185,267

Total : 1,320,965 Figure 2. Distribution of the SHSs (Solar Home System) in six divisions in Bangladesh up to Feb 2012 [9]

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Table 3. Wind turbine (all are in Functioning) installations in Bangladesh by different organizations [16]

The Figure 2 shows the approximate division wise SHSs installation. The figure illuminates that the distribution of the SHSs is highest in the Dhaka district wher eas lowest in the Sylhet.

Organization Name

Type of Application 3 Hybrid

Installed Capacity (Watt) 4,500

Hybrid

7,500

Cyclone Shelter in the Coastal Region

Stand-alone

900

Coastal Region

Hybrid

4,320

Coastal Region

Stand-alone

400

Chittagong Hill Tracts

Stand-alone

1,100

Teknaf

Stand-alone

600

Meghnaghat

Wind-PV Hybrid

400

Kuakata

Total

19,720

B. Wind Energy Bangladesh has a 724 km long coast line and many small islands in the Bay of Bengal, where strong southwesterly trade wind and sea-breeze blow in the summer months and there is gentle north-easterly trade wind and land breeze in winter months. Bangladesh is in the midst of a severe energy and power supply crisis; one of the worst in South Asia. However, the government is now looking to explore the potential of wind energy, particularly along the country’s 700 kilometer long coastline. Bangladesh has a 724 km long coast line and many small islands in the Bay of Bengal, where strong south-westerly trade wind and sea-breeze blow in the summer months and there is gentle north-easterly trade wind and land breeze in winter months [14]. Along the coastal area of Bangladesh, the annual average wind speed at 30m height is more than 5 m/s [13]. Wind speed in northeastern parts in Bangladesh is above 4.5 m/s while for the other parts of the country wind speed is around 3.5 m/s [13, 15]. Some measurements were made by F. Rahman in some coastal areas followed by a year’s measurement in Patenga (Chittagong) at a height of 20 m in 1995. It was found that wind speed is higher than the values obtained by the meteorological department. This led to a year-long systematic wind speed study at seven coastal sites in 1996-97 at a height

BRAC

Bangladesh Army

IFDR

LGED

It was found that wind speeds in the districts of Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar were the only ones which showed promise. Extending the idea, only coastal area and the bay islands showed promise for possible electricity generation from wind. Beside wind-mapping project launched by the government indicate that areas in the southern coastal region are suitable for setting up wind turbines. Wind energy can potentially generate more than 2000 megawatts of electricity in the coastal regions [xx]. The growth of wind energy in the underdeveloped, coastal areas of the country holds hope for poor, isolated communities that are not connected to the national electricity grid and who are also unlikely to receive grid connection in the near future due to the high cost of establishing infrastructure, and growing scarcity of traditional energy inputs

Ta bl e 2. Feasibility of Wi nd Conditions a t Different Pl aces [12] Reference Height (m)

Teknaf

5

Annual average wind speed (m/s) 2.16

Cox's Bazar

10

2.42

Patenga Airport Kutubdia Island

5

2.45

6

2.09

Sandip Island

5

2.16

Hatia Island

6

2.08

Bhola Island

7

2.44

Khepupara

10

2.36

Comilia Airport

6

2.21

Grameen Offices in the Coastal Region

Grameen Shakti

of 25 m.

Site

Location

Recently, Bangladesh’s first-ever generation of electricity from wind at a 900-kilowatt plant has ushered in new hopes for generation of power with minimum cost in the country. The power plant, located near the Muhuri Dam in southeastern Feni district, have four separate wind turbines of 225 kw each. It is now 620


ready to generate electricity from wind and supply to the Muhuri Irrigation Project and the national grid, according to The Bangladesh power development board. Beside several small wind generators have been installed by BRAC (11 small wind turbines in various coastal sites) and Grameen Shakti (two wind generators of 300 W and 1 KW at its Chakoria Shrimp Farm). Grameen Shakti has recently installed 4 small wind generators (3xl.5KW + ONE 10 KW) in Barguna district [XXX]. They are planning to develop these stations into hybrid systems later, first with diesel and then with solar pv, to maximize the energy output and then study the cost economics. Their final quantitative results would be awaited with great interest. Grameen Shakti has set up four of its wind generators to power cyclone shelters set up along the coast. The organization now plans to develop micro-enterprise zones around these cyclone shelters. The wind generators will provide electricity to buildings that are frequented by microentrepr eneurs.. Grameen Shakti has already started providing electricity to fish and prawn farms in Cox Bazaar, an important fishing port. The Bangladesh Power Development Board has estimated that wind energy can contribute to 10% of the energy needs of the country [xxx]. The Board has also calculated the cost to generate one kilowatt hour of power (kWh) from wind energy to be about half the cost of generating an equivalent unit of power from solar energy. The expansion of the potential of wind energy will be crucial in order for Bangladesh to achieve its national vision of providing electricity to all of its population by 2020. However, in order for targeted poor communities to enjoy the benefits of access to electricity, there may be a need for setting up of vocational training programs for rural and urban poor micro-entrepreneurs. C. Hydro-electricity Bangladesh is a plain delta with having three of the world’s major rivers the Ganges, the Brahmaputra and the Meghna flowing through it. The Jamuna -PadmaMeghna river system divides it into east and west and creates an average water flow of 1 .3 trillion m3 in a year throughout the country. Many other rivers flow throughout the country which are actually the tri butaries of these rivers. Out of all the rivers about 57 rivers are transboundary originating from India and Myanmar [18]. During monsoon the flow rate of most of the rivers is high but it reduces substantially during winter. Hence the scope of hy-dropower generation is very limited in Bangladesh except in some hilly regions in the northeast and southeast parts of the country. However there are a lot of tributaries, canals, tiny waterfalls which have good potential for setting up hydro power plants. Hydro power plants convert the

Hydro power of the fluid into mechanical power which is further converted to electrical energy. Many types of hydro power plants can be setup according to the generation capacity. Pico-Hydro up to 5 kW Micro-Hydro >5300kW3MW