Transitioning to clean energy base

With fast-depleting reserves of non-renewable sources of energy, Bangladesh’s power sector’s dependence on imported fuel is increasing. Of late, imported coal and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) are becoming the driver of the country’s  power generation regime based on non-renewable fossil fuels. From the existing power plants, the country produces some 3 gigawatts (GW) from imported coal and LNG. An additional 6.2 GW of power are planned to be added to the existing capacity of coal-based power in the country. Similarly, CNG-run power plants will increase excess power reserve further. But how long will the country be able to bear the mounting costs of importing fossil fuels? And being in the frontline of climate change, can Bangladesh go on increasing its carbon footprints indefinitely? The time is up for the country to shift its energy base from the non-renewable fossil fuels to a sustainable, renewable one. And it is not a matter of…