Rapid industrialisation all over the world has given people cushy lives.
It is undeniable that energy is the cornerstone of development in the modern era. With the passage of every single day, the demand for energy is climbing to its peak, and countries are now busy competing with each other to meet the growing demands of energy.
But unhealthy competition in the energy sector has brought environmental issues like climate change upon us. Now we frequently have to withstand the devastating impacts of climate change-induced disasters like storms, cyclones, floods, etc.
Evidently, Bangladesh is the most vulnerable country in this respect in the South Asian region, which means we have to immediately rethink the energy landscape to combat the climate change-caused natural disasters.
Examining the world energy profile, it appears that demand of the global energy will further grow up to 40% by 2040.
At present, gas is a dominant fuel in generating energy. In the upcoming days, coal will replace gas and hold the first position in the energy sector -- producing more emissions across the globe.
Bangladesh is no exception. It is predicted that reserve gas will be exhausted by 2020 and so it’s looking for an alternative source of energy. It is eying to increase coal use from 2% to over 50% in electricity supply by 2030.
Dozens of coal-run electricity-generating plants are in the pipeline including a controversial one like Rampal. It is expected that Rampal alone will provide alone one-fifth of the country’s total production of electricity comprising 1,320 mega watts.
Coal has become appealing for countries like Bangladesh and India for different reasons. Being cheap, coal is cost-effective, and so it opens doors to opportunities to produce new energy plants. Alarmingly, China and India are following the easy and economic way by introducing coal-run energy plants.
Bangladesh should explore alternatives to coal for securing a better future for the next generations of Bangladeshis
From 2002 to 2012, the global coal trade has doubled -- where China and India account for the majority of coal imports. Then the question may rise: Are we not counting the risks of coal energy in this region?
Risks and fatalities
Bangladesh is a densely populated country, and pollution from coal energy will be catastrophic. Air pollution will be the direct result of coal-run electricity plants -- worsening the situation, further damaging the environment. Coal pollutes the air, water, and soil all together leading to negative impacts on human and other species as well.
Environmental specialists and activists are already protesting against the Rampal project, which can be detrimental to the Sundarbans.
There have been many controversies over the Rampal project. Both countries should take rational decisions considering its environmental impacts in the Sundarbans region.
Bangladesh should explore alternatives to coal for securing a better future for the next generations of Bangladeshis. Currently, gas ranks number one in the energy sector of Bangladesh, accounting for about 80% of total energy.
It is expected that Bay of Bengal can be a good source of gas fields. Bangladesh needs to invest in exploration to take advantage of Bay of Bengal resources.
Renewed hope
Moreover, the much talked-about renewable energy sources should be considered, as they are environment-friendly. Being blessed with lots of rivers, Bangladesh has good potential in producing hydro-electricity, utilising the current of the rivers.
Solar is considered to be the most viable source of renewable energy. Bangladeshis striving to generate more energy from solar system by 2020 according to its seventh five year plan.
Other sources like wind and biomass sources also should be explored for renewable energy. Due to several constraints and challenges, renewable energy is still not popular in Bangladesh.
First of all, in many cases, renewable energy becomes costly for the producers. We have had bad experiences like the Kaptai project -- which did not bring the desired results, and ultimately emerged as a development disaster. Moreover, there is a lack of incentives from the government and non-government agencies in this sector.
Right now, at a macro level, governments should provide incentives by granting loans to renewable energy-oriented enterprises. Innovation and entrepreneurship should be encouraged by the governmental and non-governmental sector in the renewable energy sector.
On the other hand, at a micro level, consumers should be more conscious and wise while using electricity. Solar panels can be used as an alternative source of power in households that can afford it.
It’s time to turn to clean energy.
Naim Ebna Rahman is a graduate student of development studies.
