The authorities of Khulna University are expecting to generate 115 kilowatts (kW) of energy from solar panels in a month, meeting 40% of its total electricity demand.
The university needs up to 800kW of electricity per month.
When in operation, the panels installed on the roofs of two buildings of the university will greatly help cut dependence on the national grid and save the university from paying soaring bills, they say.
The green energy will also come in extremely handy during power outages, the individuals linked to the project said.
It can be an example for all universities in the country at a time when there is a crisis in power and energy almost everywhere, they added.
In a bid to have its own renewable energy, the KU in January last year signed an MoU with a private green energy firm. The project cost was estimated at nearly Tk110 crore.
Under the project, 216 solar panels have been erected on the roofs of Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Administrative Building and Michael Madhusudan Dutta Guest House.
KU Chief Engineer SM Maniruzzaman said the lifespan of the solar panels is 25 years.
“There will be no deficit in power supply when the solar systems come into operation by mid-August. Also, they will help save money,” the engineer said.
Project Director M Hasanuzzaman said the process to float a tender for the installation of solar panels capable of generating 300kW of electricity is also underway.
“When they will start power generation, I hope we will not only meet our demand but contribute to the national network,” he expected.
KU Vice Chancellor Mahmood Hossain said: “Solar power is a very effective way to avoid extreme problems like global warming. Moreover, solar power can play an important role in getting rid of loadshedding caused in the country due to the global energy crisis.
“This initiative is taken with an aim to ensure that our students can carry out their studies smoothly and researchers can carry out their job smoothly. The generated solar power can play an important role in uninterrupted power management in the university during power cuts.”
He is hopeful that the surplus electricity will be added to the national grid.