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Jan 104 min read

Sarishabari 3 MW (Engreen) Solar Power Plant

Current Status: Operation

Source:  (RPAEL, 2023)


Sarishabari 3 MW (Engreen) Solar Power Plant, also known as Engreen Solar Power Plant is a solar power plant situated in Shimla Bazaar, Sarishabari Upazila, Jamalpur District of Bangladesh (Coordinates: 24.771454, 89.84341). It has been sponsored by the Engreen Sarishabari Solar Plant Limited as an Independent Power Producer (IPP) for 20 years. The sponsor declared its Commercial Operation Date (COD) on 3 August 2017 and, as per schedule, the power plant will retire on 2 August 2037.


Capacity

The installed (gross) and derated (net) capacity of the power plant is 3.00 MW and 2.71 MW respectively.


Context

In February 2015, the Power Development Board (PDB) entered into a power purchase agreement with Engreen for the development of a 3-megawatt grid-tied solar plant  (DT, 2017). The sponsor initially declared the Commercial Operation Date (COD) as August 3, 2017, and the actual COD was officially recorded as May 10, 2018  (RPAEL, 2023). As per the predetermined schedule, the power plant is expected to retire on August 2, 2037. Concord Progoti Consortium Ltd (CPCL) established the Engreen Sarishabari Solar Plant with a 20-year lifespan, featuring 11,600 solar panels spread across eight acres of land in the division. The plant commenced power generation in August 2017, operating for 12 hours daily from sunrise to sunset, and supplying electricity to the 33/11 kv sub-station of the division, according to an official statement (EP, 2018). 


Land Acquisition

The power plant has acquired 8 acres of land situated in Shimla Bazaar, Sarishabari, Jamalpur, through a Build-Own-Operate (BOO) agreement with the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) (RPAEL, 2023). 


Finance

CPCL has invested BDT 54.22 crore for the establishment of the plant and allocates BDT 5 lakh monthly for staff salaries. Intending to recuperate the entire investment and operational costs within the initial 10 years, the company plans to achieve this by selling power to the Bangladesh Power Development Board (PDB) at BDT 15 per unit. Additionally, CPCL aims to generate a profit exceeding BDT 50 crore in the subsequent 10 years (FT, 2018). 


Sponsor

Engreen Sarishabari Solar Plant Limited as an Independent Power Producer (IPP), operates the 3 MW Sarishabari Solar Power Plant. The project is a joint effort by the IFE-CPC-JEL Consortium, with Engreen Limited and Concord-Pragatee Consortium Limited holding 70% each. Jurong Engineering Limited from Singapore owns 20%, and the Institute for Energy Technology (IFE) in Norway holds a 10% stake. This collaboration reflects a global commitment to sustainable energy solutions, leveraging the expertise and resources of these key players in the renewable energy sector. The Sarishabari Solar Power Plant exemplifies their dedication to advancing clean and eco-friendly power generation.


Contractors

The 20-year-life-span Engreen Sarishabari Solar Plant was set up by Concord Progoti Consortium Ltd  (FT, 2018). 


Fuel Supply

Light energy is converted to electrical energy by the solar panels' mono-crystal cells, which allow the power plant to produce power from sunlight  (FT, 2018). 


Power Generation

The power plant officially commenced commercial operations on May 10, 2018 (RPAEL, 2023), deviating from the initially planned Commercial Operation Date of August 3, 2017 (DT, 2017). The installed capacity stands at 3.00 MW, with a derated (net) capacity of 2.71 MW. The plant currently supplies electricity to the Bangladesh Power Development Board (PDB)-owned Sarishabari 33/11 kV sub-station at a rate of 0.1897 US cents per unit, equivalent to Tk 14.74 (EC, 2017).


Environment

According to Section 12 of the Bangladesh Environment Protection Act 1995, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is obligatory for any industry (MOLJPA, 1995). The polluting industries, such as power plants, have to go through an Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) and EIA as directed in the Environmental Conservation Rules 2017 (MOEFCC, 1997). Unfortunately, no Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report was found. The reduction in CO2 emissions throughout the system's lifespan amounts to 31,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (RE, 2023). The solar panels can capture 78 grams of carbon dioxide per unit of power generated. With an average daily production of 12,000 units during the 12 hours from sunrise to sunset, the panels absorb 936 kilograms of carbon dioxide daily, totaling 28.08 tonnes monthly and 336.96 tonnes annually, as stated by the power plant director. In contrast, traditional fossil-fueled power plants release substantial amounts of carbon dioxide, contributing to air pollution that adversely affects living organisms. Furthermore, the generation of power by solar panels is associated with "green energy," characterized by the absence of sound pollution (TDS, 2018).


Criticism

For the last four months, more than 18 workers at Engreen Solar Plant, affiliated with the power plant, have not been paid their monthly wages. The sustainable plant, operating for 20 years, commenced production in 2017 with a starting staff of 25. Presently, only 18 employees remain, with seven having already resigned due to delays in salary disbursement, as reported by a correspondent quoting plant personnel. Sources from the Engreen Solar Plant office stated that the company owed around Tk 5 lakh in salaries, and the payment delays were attributed to the company's financial challenges in meeting this obligation (ANN, 2022).


References


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