Experts at a seminar in Dhaka on Saturday said that the country could generate 100 per cent of its electricity from renewable energy in 2050 if steps were taken to achieve the target.

‘Scarcity of land is no longer a problem for solar energy as technologies are improving and different forms of new systems like floating solar and rooftop solar are coming up with more efficiency,’ said Munawar Moin, president of Solar Module Manufacturers’ Association of Bangladesh.

Forum for Energy Reporters Bangladesh and the SMMAB jointly organised the seminar titled ‘Net Metering: Opportunities and Challenges’ at the Jatiya Press Club.

Held with FERB chairman Arun Karmaker in the chair, the seminar was addressed, among others, by prime minister’s energy adviser Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, power cell director general Mohammad Hossain, executive director of Northern Electricity Supply Company Limited AHM Kamal, SMMAB senior vice-president Masudur Rahim, FERB executive director Sadrul Hasan and vice-chairman Azizur Rahman.

Assistant professor of United International University Shakila Aziz made the keynote presentation titled ‘Business Case of Opportunities and Challenges for Rooftop Solar Scale-up’.

Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury said that the government had introduced the net metering policy to promote renewable energy, especially solar power, across the country.

He said that mandatory solar system installation for obtaining power connections might have failed but the current initiative for solar power promotion through net metering could succeed as there was an opportunity for consumers to sell the surplus solar electricity to the government through net metering system.

He mentioned that the government was trying to utilise all potential options to increase solar power generation.

He said that some 100 megawatts of electricity could be easily generated through using the abundant spaces at the country’s airports. ‘Already, solar power is being generated using such spaces in New Delhi and Kolkata airports in India,’ he added.

Munawar Moin said that many countries had already increased the share of solar power up to 25 per cent of the total electricity generation as they put utmost emphasis on clean energy generation.

He said that 100 per cent power generation from clean energy was targeted in the sustainable development goals of the United Nations.

The power cell director general said that it would be a great achievement if the country could generate 50 per cent of its total electricity from renewable energy sources by 2050.

He said that the ball was now in the court of private entrepreneurs in the renewable energy sector to utilise the net metering system and develop the solar power source, making it popular, useful and profitable.

In her keynote presentation, Shakila Aziz discussed three options to finance solar power generation.