Page 7 - AsiaElec Week 23

AsiaElec RENEWABLES AsiaElec

China to build 450 MW of green

projects in Bangladesh

BANLGADESH BANGLADESHI and China are to create a 450- A second 100-MW solar project in Sirajganj
MW solar and wind joint venture that will invest district is anticipated to open in June 2022.
$500mn in renewables capacity. Meanwhile, the 50-MW wind farm will be
Bangladeshi Power Minister Nasrul Hamid built near the port of Payra and it set to open in
said that Bangladesh-China Power Company December 2022.
(Pvt) Ltd Renewables would build 450 MW of Cabinet secretary Khandker Anwarul
new solar capacity and a 50-MW wind farm. Islam told local media that planning and land
He explained that his government had acquisition for the remaining 290 MW of Chi-
brought in Chinese capital and expertise because nese-funded solar capacity was taking place.
domestic private investors were not driving for- A M Khurshedul Alam, chief executive of
ward solar deployment fast enough. North-West Power Generation, said that tenders
Hamid noted that solar project in Bangladesh for the first three projects would be held soon.
still cost $0.10-0.13 per kWh, as local investors As well as renewables, China is also involved
had not committed enough cash, despite falls in in fossil-fuel generation in Bangladesh, where
the cost of solar elsewhere. domestic gas production is declining but power
On June 8, the cabinet approved the crea- demand is rising.
tion of the Bangladesh-China Power Company In May, Bangladesh has opened the first unit
(Pvt) Ltd Renewables joint venture. North-West of the Chinese-built and financed 1,320-MW,
Power Generation is to furnish locations for $2bn coal-fired Payra thermal power plant
the green projects, while its partner, Chinese (TPP), connecting 660 MW to the national grid.
National Machinery Import and Export Corp., The plant was built by Bangladesh-China
is to invest $500mn in solar and wind. Power Company Ltd (BCPCL), a joint venture
In announcing the deal, Hamid stressed that of the same two Bangladeshi and Chinese com-
the Bangladesh government aimed to have 3 panies as an offshoot of BCPCL.
GW of solar capacity in future. Bangladesh’s installed power capacity is more
He did not say if the new project would form than 20,000 MW and the country aims to pro-
part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). of vide electricity to all of its more than 160mn
which Bangladesh is a member. people by 2030.
The first project to be developed by the Chi- Domestic gas currently accounts for 85% of
nese will be a 60-MW solar project that is set go generation fuel, leading to the desire to diversify
online in June 2021. into coal.™

Week 23 10•June•2020 www. NEWSBASE .com P7