top of page
Search

Baraiyarhat 50 MW (SOSPL) Solar Power Plant

  • 2 days ago
  • 4 min read

Current Status: Pre-construction

Representational Picture (Source: Shutterstock/Jaroslava V)


Baraiyarhat 50 MW (SOSPL) Solar Power Plant, also called Baraiyarhat Solar PV Park, is a BPDB solar PV power plant to be situated at Baroyer Hat under Mirsharai Upazila in Chattogram District of Bangladesh  (Location: 22.8926, 91.5339). The power plant is sponsored by Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) as a private Independent Power Plant (IPP) under “no electricity, no payment” condition for 20 years. According to the latest schedule, the power plant will start  its commercial operation in June 2025, and the retirement date of June 2045 will shift accordingly.


Capacity

The power plant's installed (gross) capacity will be 50 MW. The plant will have an installed DC capacity of approximately 68 MWp (megawatt-peak) to deliver 50 MWac (megawatt alternating current) to the grid. The 50 MW figure in the document refers to the AC output capacity (IPP, 2024)


Context

The state-run Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) had invited proposals from private sector companies to construct four solar power plants in Chuadanga, Netrokona, Bhaluka, and Baraiyarhat, with a submission deadline of August 28, 2018 (FE, 2018).


A joint venture between a German and Bangladeshi consortium, IB Vogt had secured a tender to construct a 50-megawatt solar facility in Chittagong. The Cabinet Committee on Public Procurement of the Bangladeshi government granted approval for the contract to develop this solar project adjacent to the 132/33 kV substation at Baraiyarhat on 02 October, 2019. The solar developer, IB vogt GmbH from Germany, in collaboration with their local partner, AG Agro Industries Ltd, will be responsible for the construction, ownership, and operation of the plant. The government has entered into a 20-year agreement to purchase the electricity generated at the facility at a rate of USD $0.1094 per kilowatt-hour equivalent to BDT 8.75, per kilowatt hour on a condition of “no electricity, no payment” (PV Magazine, 2019; DT, 2019).


Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) issued a Letter of Intent (LOI) on 15 December 2019 as a preliminary commitment to install the power plant (BPDB 2022). Currently, the project is in the permitting phase and is slated for development in a single construction phase (Power Technology, 2022). According to the LOI, the power plant's Commercial Operation Date (COD) is scheduled for 30 June 2023, but the respective Power Purchase Agreement is yet to be signed (BPDB 2022). Construction of the power plant is projected to start in 2023, with the project expected to become operational for commercial use in 2024 (Power Technology, 2022). But according to the latest BPDB progress report the power plant will start operation from June 2025 (BPDB, 2024)


Fuel Supply

Sunlight will be used as the fuel of the power plant.


Land Acquisition

The Baraiyarhat Solar PV Park is an upcoming ground-mounted solar power plant which will cover an area of 207 hectares (Power Technology, 2022). The original LOI (December 2019) was for a site in Sonagazi, Feni district; due to land acquisition complications, the site was relocated to Baraiyarhat in Mirsharai, Chittagong district (PV Magazine ,2024).


Finance

The anticipated expense for the project is approximately $49.8 million or BDT 547.306 crore (Power Technology, 2022). The total cumulative payment over the 20-year PPA period will be BDT 1,418.40 crore (Dhaka Tribune, 2019)


Sponsor

The consortium of IB Vogt GmbH and AG Agro Industries Ltd are jointly developing and currently share equal ownership, each holding a 50% stake in the project (Power Technology, 2022).


Contractors

IB vogt GmbH  and AG Agro Industries Ltd, will be responsible for the construction of the project.


Power Generation

Expected Energy Generation  will be 1 TWh (SREDA, 2023). The power produced equals the average consumption of more than 50,000 households and is estimated to save up to 70,000 metric tonnes of CO2 annually (IPP Journal, 2024)


Environment

According to Section 12 of the Bangladesh Environment Protection Act 1995, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is obligatory for any industry (MOLJPA 1995). Polluting industries, such as power plants, must undergo an Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) and EIA as directed in the Environmental Conservation Rules 2017 (MOEFCC 1997). Ground-mounted solar panels offer numerous advantages over rooftop installations. They are positioned on the ground to optimize sun exposure, resulting in increased energy production. The flexibility in location means they can be placed in open areas with minimal shading, providing greater freedom in site selection. Ground-mounted solar panels offer environmental benefits by producing clean, renewable energy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and mitigating climate change. They also conserve land by utilizing non-arable or otherwise unused space. However, their installation can sometimes lead to habitat disruption, land-use conflicts, and potential visual impacts. Careful planning and consideration of ecological factors are essential to minimize these issues and maximize the positive environmental impact of ground-mounted solar projects. 

According to the environmental conservation rule 2023 the project falls in the “Yellow” indicating it as a slightlyl harmful project for the environment (MOEFCC 2023).


Carbon Footprint

The power plant will reduce CO2 during its lifetime  to  516 k tCO2 (SREDA, 2023).


Reference

 
 
bottom of page