The first wind power plant in the nation will soon be operational in Cox’s Bazar.
With a 60 MW capacity, the Khurushkul Wind Power Project in Cox’s Bazar is a significant step forward in this journey and will power 1 lakh households.
On March 8, the plant went into full operation, and it is now smoothly connected to the country’s grid. It was anticipated that this project would begin operations in June of last year, but regrettably, it was delayed. Everything is set up now.
According to officials, 20 of the plant’s 22 turbines have already been installed, and the final pieces should be finished this month.
Started in March 2022, the $116.51 million project is being led by US-DK Green Energy BD Ltd. and financially backed by SPIC Wuling Power Corporation, a Chinese company. The seaside wind farm put 30 MW of electricity into the grid last year after undergoing successful trials.
The Power Division’s Deputy Secretary (Renewable Energy-II), Md. Mahbubur Rahman, told Bangladesh Post that they are
excitedly awaiting the project’s commercial launch because, if the most recent experiments are successful, it will soon begin operations.
After passing connection tests, power from the plant is directly fed into the national grid, according to Nirod Chandra Mondal of the Power
Division. As of right now, 20 of the 22 turbines are producing the 60 megawatts of electricity that was agreed upon. The plant’s construction and commercial production have been completed, as confirmed by Project Director Engineer Mukit Alam Khan.
Officials said, when fully operational, it is expected to generate about 145 million kWh of clean energy per year, enough to meet the electricity needs of 100,000 households.
The government intends to build 12 wind power plants across the country, both onshore and offshore wind power plants, according to the Power Division. It is projected that these power plants will add more than 500 MW of new electricity to the national grid.
The Government of Bangladesh, realizing the potential of wind power, has set high goals, hoping to reach 1,370 MW of wind power capacity by 2030. Starting in 2022, plans are in place to produce 5 GW of onshore and offshore wind power over the course of the following ten years.
Bangladesh has previously experimented with wind power projects, such as a 1 MW plant in Kutubdia, Cox’s Bazar, in 2008 and a 0.9 MW plant in Feni along the River Muhuri in 2005. Unfortunately, the Bangladesh Power Development Board’s lack of interest and supervision has resulted in the closure of both plants.
In order to meet its target of producing 10% of electricity from renewable sources by 2025, the government is currently advocating for renewable energy initiatives. There are plans for additional wind projects in Chandpur and Feni, in addition to the ones that are currently under way in Sirajganj, Bagerhat, and Chuadanga.
Sources said, the government has approved Denmark’s substantial $1.3 billion investment in the 500 MW offshore wind project in Bangladesh, a step forward in the direction of sustainable energy.
The nation currently produces only 2% of its electricity from renewable sources, falling short of the 12% required to meet the Sustainable Development Goals, despite these efforts.
According to the power and energy ministry, there are plans to increase solar power generation to potentially reach 20,000 MW by 2041 and even up to 30,000 MW with optimal utilization of available land. Though previous targets set for renewable energy production have not been met.
Experts said, wind energy has proven to be the second most economical source of electricity after natural gas, despite early skepticism. A number of studies have demonstrated the previously undervalued wind potential of the country and the viability of offshore and onshore wind power projects.
According to the US-based National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Bangladesh’s 724-kilometer coastal stretch and its many islands offer substantial potential for wind energy production. High wind power potential is shown by important areas like the Bay of Bengal, Kuakata, Sandwip, and St. Martin. Whereas regions like Chattogram have steady wind speeds of between 5.5 and 9.5 meters per second for a significant portion of the year, areas like Kuakata have annual wind speeds between 2.96 and 4.54 meters per second.
In March 2022, the GoB commissioned a pre-feasibility and comprehensive feasibility study by Blix in association with local firm Synotech and Italian consultant CESI to evaluate the viability of offshore wind farms.
One important tactic has been to promote private investment, particularly from international businesses. Bangladeshi wind power projects are being funded, among others, by Danish companies Vesta, Copenhagen Offshore Partners (COP), and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP). A major step towards sustainable energy is being signaled by projects like a 500 MW offshore wind farm in the Bay of Bengal and a 100 MW plant in Patuakhali.
Wind power, which promises both environmental sustainability and energy independence, is seen by project officials as a ray of hope as the nation moves closer to a future powered by renewable energy sources.