Renewable energy can help overcome power shortage: BERC chairman

Bangladesh can overcome its electricity shortage and gradually ease the ongoing energy crisis by expanding renewable energy generation, provided the government continues policy support and facilitates low-interest financing, Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) Chairman Jalal Ahmed said on Friday.

He also said allegations of corruption in the quick rental power sector should be properly investigated, noting that electricity prices remained high even after investors had recovered their investments.

Jalal made the remarks while addressing a shadow parliament on “Investment in Renewable Energy to Ensure Energy Security” at the Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (BFDC).

He called for coordinated initiatives to encourage industries and other investors to produce renewable energy, saying Bangladesh should focus on a balanced mix of energy sources to ensure long-term energy security.

“Energy security requires greater emphasis on a balanced and integrated fuel management system,” he said.

Regarding quick rental power plants, The BERC chairman said they were supposed to operate for three years, with electricity priced at around 16 taka per unit.

“However, even after investors recovered their investment, electricity was purchased at nearly the previous rate when contracts were renewed instead of fixing prices based only on operational costs.”

The allegations of corruption in quick rental power cannot be ruled out, he said. “There should be a proper investigation.”

The programme was organised by Debate for Democracy and chaired by its Chairman Hassan Ahamed Chowdhury Kiron.

Kiron said the previous government increased dependence on imports while neglecting domestic energy supplies, with LNG imports being prioritised over productive investment.

He said successive irregularities and corruption in the previous regime’s energy sector contributed to the current gas and electricity shortages, disrupting industrial production.

Kiron also said that Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited (BAPEX) were kept ineffective to increase dependence on imported energy and capacity payments became a major source of corruption, with huge amounts paid even without electricity generation.

He said the government should take short, medium and long-term measures to expand both fossil fuel and renewable energy capacity.

In the shadow parliament debate, Government Bangla College emerged victorious after defeating National Institute of Textile Engineering and Research.

Journalists Sadul Hasan, Rishan Nasrullah, Sazzad Hossain, Rafiqul Basar and Atiqur Rahman served as judges.