Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)- The Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Development II (RERED II) Project is continuing to provide access to electricity in rural areas of Bangladesh through renewable energy sources. The project has already provided access to electricity to over 330,000 households.
With support from the World Bank and other development partners, the solar home systems (SHS) program of the Government of Bangladesh is reaching electricity to more than 50,000 rural households every month. Implemented by the Government-owned Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL) through a partnership with the non-government organizations (NGOs), Bangladesh’s SHS program is a successful example of public-private partnership (PPP).
Solar home systems meet the basic electricity needs of rural people, who would have otherwise been dependent on kerosene lamps for lighting. A recent impact evaluation study on SHS have confirmed increased study time for children, increased mobility and sense of security for women, and increased use of contraceptives and fall in recent fertility in SHS households, thanks to awareness from watching TV.
Building on the successful implementation of the solar home systems, the RERED II project will soon start supporting renewable energy-based mini-grids in remote rural areas to provide electricity for productive applications. The solar mini-grid project pipeline comprises 8 projects with a combined capacity of about 1MW. Targeting rural growth centers, the mini-grids are expected to contribute to increased economic activities in rural areas. The project has mobilized grant support from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) to provide grant support to the mini-grid schemes in addition to the credit support from the International Development Association (IDA), the concessionary lending of the World Bank.
The project has started to support solar irrigation pumps replacing diesel-run pumps. The solar irrigation pumps are reducing costs of irrigation to the farmers and also helping to save foreign exchange for importing diesel. By providing a renewable source, the solar irrigation pumps are also contributing to reduced green-house gas emissions. A total 50 solar irrigation pumps with a capacity of 3.3-11kWp are under construction. To provide matching grant support to the solar irrigation pumps, an amount of US$24.5 million has been approved from the Bangladesh Climate Change Resilience Fund (BCCRF). The first tranche of US$10 million has recently become effective.
More than 28 million households in Bangladesh still rely on traditional biomass fuels burnt in inefficient stoves. With support from the RERED II project, IDCOL has embarked upon the improved cook stoves program that will benefit rural women and children, who are exposed to indoor air pollution from inefficient stoves. 49 NGOs have been selected by IDCOL for implementing the cook stove program, and implementation is expected to start shortly.
The project will also support the second phase deployment of energy-efficient Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) and technical assistance to the power sector.
BBN/SSR/AD-20Jan14-12:42 pm (BST)
