We are pleased to see a a growing number of Bangladeshi businesses exporting renewable energy equipment and expertise overseas.
SOLARIC, a local renewable energy company, is now sending 1,000 3G solar home systems to Tanzania every month. It is also producing SHS converters and solar systems for customers in India and Nepal.
Its expansion adds to the success of other companies, such as Rahimafrooz Renewable Energy, which are exporting solar panel products to places such as Dubai.
The International Renewable Energy Agency reported last year that over 114,000 people are already working in the solar industry in Bangladesh. While most of this is driven domestically, rising global demand for cleaner energy means there is huge potential to create new export jobs as well.
Bangladesh has made much positive progress in developing solar home power systems through the Infrastructure Development Company Limited, which is on course to achieving its target of installing 6 million solar home systems in the country by 2016.
Solar home systems and cheap local grids are playing a growing role in supplying unmet demand for power in households. Such programs are paying for themselves by delivering social and economic benefits more cheaply and quickly to the households in rural areas which need them most.
The government should join-up policies closer to help meet the twin goals of raising living standards and reducing fossil fuel dependence, while also creating new spin-off manufacturing and export opportunities.
It should do more to incentivise increased renewable energy production, by cutting wasteful subsidies on fossil fuels. This will not only benefit emissions targets, but also create new jobs and help Bangladesh play a greater part in the clean-energy revolution.
