Current Status: Preparation
Source: Daily Industry
Bera 3.77 MW (Saudia Agro) Solar Power Plant, is the country’s first agri-PV power plant to be situated at Bera in the Pabna District of Bangladesh (Location: 24.0691, 89.6475). The Saudia Agro Solar PV Power Plant Ltd (SASPL), a joint venture between Solarland China and local company Mostafa Motors the sponsor of this power plant signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) and implementation agreement with the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) for the project on 29 December 2021 with a tenure of 20 years. According to the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), the Commercial Operation Date (COD) of the power plant was scheduled for 28 June 2023 but was delayed due to numerous obstacles in government policies and new RCOD is set to 24 June 2024 and the the and will retire on 23 June 2044.
Capacity
The installed capacity of Bera 3.77 MW (Saudia Agro) Solar Power Plant is 3.77 MW (BPDB, 2023).
Context
Saudia Agro Solar PV Power Plant Ltd (SASPL), a joint venture between Solarland China and local company Mostafa Motors signed a power purchase and implementation agreement with the Bangladesh Power Development Board for the project on 29 December 2021 and the government has committed to purchasing the produced electricity for a duration of 20 years. (PVM, 2021). The sponsor started preparatory works in 2022 (BPDB 2022). According to the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), the Commercial Operation Date (COD) of the power plant is scheduled as 28 June 2023 (BPDB 2022). The project was projected to conclude by October, 2022 (PVM, 2021) but delayed to 28 June 2023. However, a significant number of Bangladesh's renewable energy (RE) power projects remain in their early stages, despite surpassing the Commercial Operation Dates (COD) deadlines and this power plant is among those facing similar challenges (BP, 2023). SM Nasif Shams, an Associate Professor and the director of Dhaka University’s Institute of Energy, as well as an entrepreneur engaged in the Bera 3.77 MW solar power project in Pabna, cited numerous obstacles in government policies as key factors hindering the success of solar power projects (BP, 2023). The power plant is now in the land development process and the new rescheduled commercial operation date (RCOD) is 12 December 2023 which is expected to run from June 2024 (BPDB, 2023).
Land Acquisition
The power plant will take 12.5 acres of land to produce electricity (Observer, 2021).
Finance
The project is expected to incur a cost of approximately USD 7 million (PVM, 2021).
Sponsor
Saudia Agro Solar PV Power Plant Ltd – a joint venture between Solarland (Wuxi) Electric Science and Technology Company Limited, China, and local company Mostafa Motors Limited are the sponsors of this power plant (PVM, 2021).
Contractors
Huawei, a Chinese manufacturer of photovoltaic (PV) inverters, is set to provide its string inverters and intelligent transformer station for the project. Meanwhile, the developer has issued tenders to choose an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contractor, with no additional information disclosed about other suppliers (Observer, 2021).
Fuel Supply
The power plant will run on agri-photovoltaic solar panels which will use solar energy as a fuel.
Power Generation
The power plant is slated to generate 3.77 MW of electricity, with a defined electricity tariff of USD 0.1074 per kilowatt-hour (kWh). The government has committed to purchasing the produced electricity for 20 years. The project will be linked to the Bera-1 33/11kV PBS-2 Substation (PVM, 2021).
Environment
The Bera 3.77 MW (Saudia Agro) Solar Power Plant, touted as the country's inaugural agri-photovoltaic facility, presents a unique combination of solar energy generation and agricultural activities. The project, situated on fertile agricultural land, incorporates special technologies for various agricultural tasks, featuring five specifically designed solar mounting structures. While details on these technologies remain undisclosed, the developer revealed that a significant portion of the area under the solar panels will be utilized for farming local poultry, ducks, goats, sheep, bees, and other domestic animals. Additionally, vertical crops, including different types of berries, will be cultivated, and plans for a greenhouse are in place. The project director, Abdul Gaffar, emphasized the strategic choice of integrating solar and agriculture in Bangladesh due to land scarcity and high solar project potential. While this innovative approach aligns with global trends in Agri-PV systems, which have seen significant deployment worldwide since 2019, it is crucial to assess both the environmental benefits and potential drawbacks. On the positive side, the dual use of land for solar energy and agriculture maximizes resource utilization and enhances sustainability. However, concerns may arise regarding the environmental impact of solar panel production, maintenance, and end-of-life disposal, necessitating careful management to ensure a net positive environmental outcome. No EIA has been found for this powerplant (Observer, 2021).
References
BPDB (2022). ‘Power Sector Progress Report’. Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB): 15 June 2022
BPDB (2023). ‘Power Sector Progress Report’. Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB): 16 November 2023
BP (2023). “Projects in limbo as cos remain untraceable” Business Post (BP): 29 April 2023
Observer, 2021). “Country’s first agri-PV plant set to get green light” Daily Observer: 29 December 2021
PVM (2021). “Bangladesh’s first agri-PV plant set to get green light” PV Magazine (PVM): 27 December 2021