Grameen Shakti's renewable energy role

Abser Kamal

It is impossible to conceive development of civilisation without “Energy”. Densely populated country like Bangladesh can only sustain and progress if only latest energy technologies can be used efficiently. Government of Bangladesh is working towards achieving “Power i.e. Electricity for All” by the year 2020. Bangladesh is one of the most severely affected countries of the World due to climate change and global warming effects. With a view to mitigating the problems cited above Grameen Shakti has lunched a vast programme to reach renewable energy to remote areas of Bangladesh. Shakti is mainly focusing in areas of (1) solar energy, (2) bio-gas, (3) organic fertiliser and (4) improved stove (ICS). Shakti has been working in this programme since 1996 and also organises technical training, maintenance, after sales service and introduces these products at the mass level.

Organisational structure and manpower: Massive and intensive network has been built in areas of renewable energy sectors since last 14 years in remote places of Bangladesh. Grameen Shakti operates this huge programme with the support of four-step organisational structural systems. Sixty-four districts are covered by 12 divisional offices, 110 regional offices, 726 branch offices and 45 Grameen technology centers. At present, we have approximately 5000 staffs out of which major percentage of work force comprises.

Installation of solar energy system: More than 3,15,000 units of Solar Energy System have been installed in remote rural areas of Bangladesh by December 2009. The combined power generation capacity is approximately 63 Mega Watt per day. About 13,000 Solar Energy Systems are installed per month. People are saving money that they had to spend for traditional fuels e.g. Kerosene and also helping the ecology to improve by emitting less green house gases like carbon-di-oxide in the atmosphere. Solar Energy System has direct and in direct beneficial financial effects for rural women who are involved in positive ecology friendly activities to run and maintain installed solar units. This programme has already been taken up by different countries of the world as role model in the renewable energy and income generation sector.

Grameen technology centre: Grameen Shakti has established 45 technical training centers with a view to training up rural women, hence making them financially independent with enhanced self confidence. These centres are only run by female engineers. Especially females are trained in these centres to educate them in environmental friendly activities and also to boost their self confidence. Creation of 100,000 environmental friendly jobs is targeted by this programme. 3000 local female workers have already been trained to maintain, repair and assemble electronic parts of the solar system.

Bio-gas technology: Bio-gas technology is another promising sector in renewable energy. Grameen Shakti has been operating bio-gas plants in different areas of Bangladesh since 2005 as an alternative energy to replace usage of traditional fuels like wood. Approx. 8,000 bio-gas plants have been installed since December 2009. To further expand this programme, Grameen Shakti is planning to establish exclusive branches for bio-gas.

Grameen Shakti organic fertiliser: High quality organic fertiliser is being produced from slurry of bio-gas plants as byproduct. This is known as “Grameen Shakti Organic Fertiliser”. This organic fertiliser is environmentally friendly and can be easily used by mixing with inorganic fertilisers.

Improved stove (ICS): Forests and trees are being destroyed exponentially with ever increasing population and rising demand for cooking fuels. Deforestation and non-regulated destruction of trees are gradually taking us towards total annihilation. To mitigate this negative situation, Grameen Shakti has lunched ICS in the year 2006, which is much more efficient than the traditional stoves that have been used for cooking in rural parts of Bangladesh from centuries. ICS is 50 to 60% more efficient, capable of generating more heat and environmental friendly. More than 45,000 ICSs have been constructed so far with direct involvement of Grameen Shakti. Exclusive branches are being set up to boost the numbers and operations of ICSs.

Contribution towards reduction of carbon emission: Increased usage of solar energy, bio-gas and ICSs installed by Grameen Shakti is reducing emission of poisonous green house gases in the atmosphere. These activities decrease use of traditional fossil fuels, protect environment and moreover save valuable foreign currencies which otherwise would be required to import Kerosene, Diesel etc. Renewable energy generated by the systems save approx. Taka 306 crore of valuable foreign currency for Bangladesh every year. Generation of the environmental friendly renewable energy reduces approximately 2,32,000 tons/ year of harmful carbon emission in the atmosphere, whose carbon trading international market value is approx. Taka 16.28 crore per year. With the expansion of ever increasing programs taken by Grameen Shakti, carbon trading values will be doubled by the end of year 2010 and this increasing trend will be sustained in the years to come.

Implementation of new programmes: Apart from programs narrated above, Grameen Shakti has successfully completed few important projects. Some of the notable projects are:

* Solar energy system has been installed for BTS, Grameen Phone. Grameen Shakti has successfully installed four solar systems for towers, each 6.50 Kilo Watt capacity at different locations as pilot project. There are more than 22,000 mobile phone towers in Bangladesh. In future, there is a good possibility for Grameen Shakti to power those towers with solar systems

* Recently, solar power system has been installed at an high end restaurant, NANDO'S in Gulshan, Dhaka

* A solar irrigation pump is being installed in Naogoan with financial assistance of IDCOL. Another irrigation pump may be installed with financial assistance of Denmark in near future

* Programme has been taken to familiarise and lunch solar thermal water heater which will decrease demand for electricity and gas in domestic buildings. It will eventually save energy demand from national grids

Planning for the year 2010: Grameen Shakti has taken up several programmes to expand and intensify projects related to renewable energy generations. According to plan, 200 ICS and 50 bio-gas dedicated new branches will be lunched to promote activities. Meantime, 14 ICS and 17 bio-gas branches has already been lunched by January 2010. Massive plan to install and operate additional 2,20,000 units of solar home systems, 16,000 bio-gas plants and 2,76,000 units of ICS has been taken by 2010. 2500 additional technical work force will be hired this year to install, built and operate the systems efficiently.

Grameen Shakti has been awarded by many national and inter-national organizations as prime promoter of renewable energy for rural and destitute population of Bangladesh. Few of the notable awards are: “European Solar Prize 2003” Germany; “Best Organisation Award 2005” England; “Ashden Awards 2006”; “European Solar Prize 2006” recognised as alternate Novel Prize “Right Livelihood Award 2007” and “Ahsden Outstanding Achievement Awards 2008” England.

The author is Acting Managing Director, Grameen Shakti.

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