Shahriar Ahmed Chowdhury, director, Center for Energy Research of United International University (UIU), received the “Intersolar Award 2016” in the category of ”Outstanding Solar Projects” in Munich, Germany as the team leader. Their research project was named “Pilot PV DC Peer-to-Peer Smart Village Grid.”
The research team was formed by experts from United International University and ME SOLshare Ltd of Bangladesh; Technical University of Berlin and Ulm University of Applied Sciences of Germany and University of California at Berkeley, USA.
The "Intersolar Award" is considered to be the most prestigious award in the solar industry of the world. Chowdhury is the first Bangladeshi to receive it.
Bangladesh is the world’s first to use a peer-to-peer network to allow energy to be shared between private solar installations. Bi-directional metering devices allow users to buy and sell electricity via the local power grid. Households that do not have their own solar installation can purchase electricity from their neighbours. The expansion of solar energy in the village is reducing fossil fuel consumption and facilitating the inhabitants’ access to electricity, thus reducing carbon emissions and support climate change mitigation.
The research project was co-funded by World Bank and IDCOL, implemented by SOLshare and is operated by UBOMUS at Shakimali Matborkandi village, Shener Char Union, Jajira upazilla of Shariatpur district.
Shahriar Ahmed Chowdhury has already implemented more than 50 projects and is now involved in 16 projects related to solar energy. Ten research engineers are working with him to support his work.
Apart from local funds, Chowdhury has received funds from different international organisations to implement his projects, including World Bank (WB), Asian Development Bank (ADB), German International Cooperation (GIZ), German Academic Exchange Services (DAAD), Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), Engineering and Physical Research Council (EPSRC), Department for International Development (DFID), Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS).