Bangladesh

Big names in the running for 45-55 MW project in Chittagong as developers scramble to take advantage of an income tax exemption for clean energy investment that is due to expire this year.

The body responsible for the installation of more than 4 million residential PV installations has asked its government masters to provide interest-free financing for its program and Dhaka is considering the proposal.

Plans are back on track for what the authority intends to be the first of many solar installations, after potential bidders complained in January that the proposed contract was not viable.

With concerns over the mountains of PV system waste that will one day pile up around the world, Bangladesh is no exception – the nation currently has no solar panel recycling policy.

A 7.4 MW solar plant will start generating electricity next month in Rangamati, in Bangladesh’s Chittagong Division.

The infrastructure company will provide $100 million to develop the plant in the country’s Feni district, which is a draw for solar developers because of designated economic zones being planned there.

Multilateral lender hopes to leverage $212 million more from the private sector as falling solar development costs make renewables more attractive. A solar plant with a 50 MW capacity in Feni will be one of the first to benefit from the new funds.

Details are few at this stage, with a site for the big project still to be selected, although the Bangladeshi government has confirmed the tariff for electricity produced by the plant will be $0.095/kWh.

U.K. developer Lightsource BP – in which oil and gas giant BP has a significant minority stake – and its Singapore fund partner EverSource Capital are reportedly ready to take up all the $100 million slice of Ayana Renewable Power which is being put up for sale.

Through the procurement, the Bangladesh Power Development Board is seeking developers for the construction of grid-connected solar power plants on a build, own, operate basis.