Chattogram Port to install 8.42MW rooftop solar plant, eyes Tk100cr savings
Greener Garments Initiative will finance, build and maintain the solar facility under a 20-year agreement, requiring no upfront investment from the port authority.
The Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) has signed an agreement with Greener Garments Initiative Ltd (GGI) to install an 8.42-megawatt-peak rooftop solar power plant, expecting to save around Tk100 crore in electricity bills over the next 20 years.
The agreement was signed today (19 October) by CPA Chairman Rear Admiral SM Moniruzzaman and GGI Chief Executive Officer Mohammad Nure Alam on behalf of their respective organisations, according to a press release.
Under the agreement, solar panels will be installed on unused rooftops of buildings and sheds across the port premises as part of the government's Green Port Initiative.
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GGI will implement the project under an operating expenditure (OpEx) model, financing the entire investment from its own funds. As a result, the port authority will not need to make any upfront capital investment.
The company will be responsible for the project's design, equipment procurement, construction, testing, operation and maintenance. It will also supply solar electricity to the port for 20 years from the start of commercial operations.
The CPA will purchase the electricity at a predetermined fixed tariff to meet its daily power requirements.
Surplus power to enter national grid
According to the port authority, the project will provide an alternative source of electricity, reduce pressure on the national grid and help lower carbon emissions.
The solar facility will eventually be connected to the national grid through a net-metering system, allowing surplus electricity to be supplied to the grid.
The initiative is also expected to support Bangladesh's renewable energy goals and contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the objectives of the Paris Agreement.
The CPA said the project would help make Chattogram Port greener and more sustainable while reducing electricity costs.
The authority also expects the initiative to strengthen its role in promoting renewable energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, alongside its contribution to the country's economic development.
