Solar Net Metering system is becoming more popular across the country. More than 500 systems with capacity of 10 megawatt (MW) has already been installed. The producers were generating the electricity in their building rooftops and it use their own purposes alongside supplying to the national grid, official said.
Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (SREDA) official said the Government published a net metering guideline in July, 2018. Net Metering is a billing mechanism that credits solar energy system owners for the electricity they add to the grid. When solar power is not used during holidays or for other reasons, the consumers can sell it to the national grid. The bill is adjusted at the end of every month on the basis of consumption of electricity and sale of solar power to the utilities.
Under the system, the consumers, who use electricity from the grid can set up a rooftop solar system, covering up to 70 percent capacity of the sanctioned load and can adjust their bills through an exchange arrangement by a special meter. This system will save a large amount of electricity on the subscriber’s electricity bill.
Earlier, Energy Adviser to the Prime Minister Dr Tawfiq e Elahi Chowdhury said the government will give incentive to the net metering system if it is necessary. This will create a huge opportunity for the consumers to use their own electricity from solar power and sell unconsumed power to the utilities.
According to SREDA officials, six state-owned power distribution companies -- Power Development Board (PDB), Rural Electrification Board (REB), Dhaka Electric Supply Company (DESCO), Dhaka Power Distribution Company (DPDC), West Zone Power Distribution Company Ltd (WZPDC), and Northern Electricity Supply Company Ltd (NESCO) -- purchased solar power from 500 consumers in last month. The number was 394 MW in July.
REB is buying 7.3 MW of unconsumed solar electricity from its 118 consumers, NESCO 0.36MW from a single consumer, WZPDC is buying 0.529MW from 69 consumers, PDB purchase of 0.656MW of solar power from 106 consumers. Meanwhile, DPDC is purchasing 0.929MW from 103 consumers and DESCO 0.226MW from 102 consumers.
Energy expert said a large number of rooftops of government office buildings, schools, garment and other factories could easily be used for rooftop solar power generation. They believe, about 10000 MW electricity can easily come from rooftops of the buildings in and outside Dhaka.
President of Bangladesh Solar and Renewable Energy Association Dipal C Barua told Bangladesh Post the net metering system is a good initiative to promote the use of renewable energy. Under this system consumers and government both will be benefited. If the industrialists feel encouraged, a significant volume of electricity can be generated from this arrangement.
"There are huge opportunity for renewable energy in the country. We can build a solar nation within a short time and easily. To this end, we must have ensure quality of product. We have to build strong technical and monitoring team,’ he added. Dipal also said the production cost of solar electricity is decreasing day by day, on the other hand the tariff rate of grid electricity is being increasing. If the industrialists use solar power in their factories, they get global reputation for using the green energy.
In view of the challenge of primary fuel sourcing and supply, the Government has developed the power generation strategy based on fuel diversification to enhance energy security. Alongside the conventional energy sources, renewable energy will play a significant role in meeting the future demand of electricity as well as fulfilling environmental obligations.
The Renewable Energy Policy of Bangladesh mandates that 10 percent of electricity to come from renewable energy sources by 2020. In absolute terms, this means that at least 2000 MW has to be generated from renewable energy sources by 2020. Net metering is one of the tools to popularize the renewable energy based electricity generation in the country.
