Achieving sustainable energy targets in Bangladesh

Bangladesh is a country of 147,570 km2 with a population of 159 million. The country has shown tremendous growth in recent years, and has attained an average gross domestic product growth rate of 6 per cent. Booming economic growth, rapid urbanization, and expanding industrialization and development have increased the country’s demand for electricity. It is recognized that energy is the key ingredient to alleviate poverty and to improve the socioeconomic condition of the people of Bangladesh. The vision of the Government is to make electricity available for all by 2021. In order to fulfill the vision, the Government has given topmost priority to the power sector and has prepared short-, medium- and long-term power generation plans using gas, coal, duel fuel, nuclear and renewable energy resources. Renewable energy will play a vital role in meeting the demand for electricity, especially in the off-grid areas of the country. The Government has set a target to generate 5 per cent of the total electricity supply from renewable energy resources by 2015 and 10 per cent by 2020. To achieve this goal, the Government has taken up a number of renewable energy programmes.