By Syed Shukur Ali Shuvo

DHAKA, Aug 10, 2025 (BSS) – Works are underway to ensure 20 percent stake of renewable energy (RE) in total electricity generation by 2023 as part of the interim government’s extra focus to promote green energy in the country under newly approved Renewable Energy Policy 2025, officials said here today.

“The government has laid an extra focus on increasing share of renewable energy (RE) in the country's energy mix,” said an official of Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (SREDA).

He said the government fixed a target to generate 20 percent of the total power from green energy sources within 2030 and 30 percent by 2040 to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7).

The official said a national solar rooftop programme was prepared to install 3000 MW more power from RE sources as part of the government initiative.

“The government fixed a target to produce 3000 MW green energy from rooftop solar programme across the country. The programme will be implemented by December this year,” Energy and Mineral Resources Adviser Dr Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan told BSS.

He said the government updated the Renewable Energy Policy 2025 after 17 years, aiming to fulfill the target by 2030 and 2040.

According to SREDA, Bangladesh currently had a capacity to generate around 1616.4 MW off-grid and non-grid power from renewable sources, which is about 8 percent of the current demand and 5.6 percent of the country's total capacity of 30,787 MW.

SREDA officials said of the estimated quantum 1322.41 MW were to from solar power, 62.9 MW from wind, 230 MW from hydroelectricity, 0.69 MW from Biogas and 0.4 MW from Biomass.

Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) chairman engineer M Rezaul Karim said that they floated tenders for setting up 52 solar power plants across the country having 5200 MW electricity generation capacity.
“We are now evaluating tender documents for those power plants. Then we can find how many tenders will be eligible for installing solar plants,” he said.

SREDA member Dr Ashraful Alam said Bangladesh’s total production would stand at 4616.69 MW with addition of 3000 MW more renewable energy.

He said the real share of renewable energy in power sector was now 9 percent with generation of 15000 to 16000 MW from green sources.

Energy ministry officials said the green power produces were free to sell their electricity to private entities alongside the government agencies following the Net Metering Guidelines 2018.

They said the government offered financial incentives for solar investments, promoting net metering, and developing energy storage systems to encourage private sector participation in mini, micro, and grids using renewable sources.

Under the renewable energy policy a 10-year corporate tax was exempted for all government and private renewable energy producers to be followed by another five years of partial tax exemption.

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus recently issued a directive to quicken the implementable 'National Rooftop Solar Programme' installing solar panels atop all government buildings, schools-colleges-madrasahs and all government hospitals.

According to SREDA, the total stakeholders of renewable energy sector are now 384, while net metering system is 3693.

“Individuals, companies or any investors can apply for installation of rooftop solar panel and generate electricity following the government formulated guidelines,” SREDA director Engr M Muzibur Rahman said.

According to state-run Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL) the total number of Solar Home System under its purview rose to 41,36,318 with 166 MWp capacity, while the number of Solar Home System under TR-KABITA programme, initiated by Disaster Management and Relief Ministry, rose to 12,21,023 with 49 MWp capacity.

It said the number of Solar AC/DC system was now 37439 with 19 MWp, 300,742 with 20 MWp under solar street lights programme, 1523 with 42 MWp of Solar Irrigation programme, 36 Rooftop Solar projects with 83 MWp, 26 Solar Mini Grid projects with 5 MWp and Grid tie solar parks 5 with 284 MWp.

According to IDCOL the total number of solar related power generation rose to 56,97,112 with 666 MWp capacity.
The revised RE policy said electricity distribution companies would cover their commanding areas for electrification through mini, micro, nano, and pico solar grids or hybrid systems incorporating renewable energy sources, where electrification by the national grid was not feasible.

Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission would determine the electricity distribution tariff.

The policy authorised SREDA to serve as a nodal agency under the power division, with tasks of coordination, management, and oversee all grid-connected and off-grid renewable projects.

The share of global electricity supply from renewable sources is forecasted to rise to 35 percent in 2025 to surpass the coal-fired generation for the first time.

International Renewable Energy Agency’ (IRENA) latest report suggested 10 countries appeared as leading nations in producing and using all existing renewable energy sources -- solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal and biomass.

Of them China emerged as the top green energy producer generating 3,749TWh followed by the United States producing 1,493TWh and Brazil producing 940TWh.

They are followed by India with 405TWh, Canada with 388TWh, Germany with 254 TWh, Japan with 239TWh, Russia with 198TWh, Norway with 140 TWh and Spain with 130TWh.

According to Climate Council information, China is the global renewable energy (RE) leader hosting nearly half of the world’s total operating wind and solar capacity.

China’s envisages an ambitious target of producing 1,200 GW in next five years ahead of schedule of 2030.

In 2012 Sweden reached their target of 50 percent RE 8 years ahead of schedule, and it planned to generate 100 percent fossil-free green energy in 2040.

New Zealand set a target for 100 percent renewable electricity by 2030.

In 2022, Germany’s set a target of generating 80 percent renewable power by 2030 and close to 100 percent by 2035.

In 2015 a combination of hydropower and geothermal power provided almost 100 percent of Iceland’s electricity production.

The UK is the global leader in offshore wind energy and plan to de-carbonise its power system by 2035.
India produces 24 percent of the total electricity demand from solar energy, Pakistan 17.16 percent, and Sri Lanka 39.7 percent of the total electricity demand from solar power.