The government has set a target of generating at least 20 percent of the country's total electricity from renewable sources by 2030, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Aninda Islam Amit told Parliament on Tuesday.
Of this, rooftop solar is expected to contribute 5,500 megawatts and ground-mounted solar 4,500 megawatts, while wind, waste-to-energy, hydropower, floating solar and agrivoltaic technologies are projected to contribute a further 450 to 550 megawatts, he said.
Replying to a notice calling attention to matters of urgent public importance moved by reserved-seat MP Helen Jerin Khan, the state minister outlined the government's renewable energy roadmap, saying electricity demand could reach 24,000-25,000 megawatts by 2030 if the current pace of economic growth and industrialisation continues.
To curb reliance on imported fuel amid rising demand, he said, the government has prepared the "National Renewable Energy Development Strategy 2026-2030", which envisages generating at least 30 percent electricity from renewable sources by 2040.
To reduce the cost of solar projects, Amit said, the government has offered tax relief on the import of panels, inverters, batteries and related equipment, redcuing the duty to just 1 percent, with a six-month special exemption for commercial importers covering customs duty, regulatory duty, supplementary duty, VAT, advance tax and advance income tax.
To encourage investment in small-scale solar, surplus electricity can now be fed into the national grid, with the government purchasing each unit at Tk10.50, he said.
On land availability, the state minister said initially around 60,000 acres of unused government land have been identified, of which roughly 30,000 acres have been earmarked for solar projects following review, to be allocated to investors by Bangladesh Investment Development Authority under public-private partnership arrangements.
He also announced that, instead of a second coal-fired unit at Rampal, a 460-megawatt solar project is being planned there on the Prime Minister's advice, citing concerns over the Sundarbans and local communities.
A 70-megawatt solar project is likewise planned on unused ash-pond land at the Matarbari coal power project site, Amit said.
Solar installations are also being rolled out on government building rooftops, including 23 buildings of the Local Government Division in Feni, which is expected to be inaugurated during the Prime Minister's visit to the district on September 17, he said.
The state minister added that the government sees small solar projects as a source of new entrepreneurship, particularly for youth, and is in talks with Bangladesh Bank and development partners on financing on easy terms.
He said discussions are also underway with investors on wheeling charges and cross-subsidy charges for large renewable projects, alongside recently framed policies, including the Renewable Energy Policy 2025, Net Metering Guidelines 2025 and National Rooftop Solar Programme 2025.