Experts call for cost effective energy storage facilities
We can use the renewable energy properly through the storage systems
There is no alternative to setting up efficient energy storage facilities to reap the maximum benefit of the renewable energy, said experts.
"Energy storage management is a timely demand of Bangladesh, but it has to be cost effective," said Nasrul Hamid, state minister of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, while speaking as the chief guest at a webinar titled "Storage Applications in Bangladesh Power System," organised by the Power and Energy Magazine on Saturday.
He said, "Cost is a big factor for us. The whole world is thinking of faster and better energy production systems with less carbon emission and less cost. If energy storage systems are financially viable, then we will definitely adopt them."
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"But it depends on further research and we need first to identify the challenges in this regard," he added.
Dr Ahmed Y Saber, VP Optimization at US-based automation and power solution company ETAP, presented the keynote paper at the programme where he talked about different types of storage battery and their capacity, renewable energy and its challenges.
Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority Chairman Mohammad Alauddin said as per the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and the 8th Five-year Plan, the country is committed to increase the share of renewable energy in the total energy generation.
"Our resource is very limited in renewable energy. We have only wind and solar as such resources. To increase the renewable energy, there is no alternative to building storage facilities. We can use the renewable energy properly through the storage systems," he said.
"At the same time, we have to be aware of the cost of setting up the energy storage facilities," he added.
Meanwhile, at the webinar, Director of the Institute of Nuclear Power Engineering, Buet Dr Abdul Hasib Chowdhury said while thinking about setting up the energy storage facilities, the authority should keep in mind that they might need to shut those down in future.
Besides, he also suggested the authority to think about setting up an inter-country grid connection with 1,500 kilometer radius centering Dhaka.
Power Cell Director General Mohammad Hossain, Senior Scientist of CSIRO Energy Dr Nawshad Haque, Solar Intercontinental Ltd Managing Director Didar Islam, GIZ Program Coordinator Al Mudabbir Bin Anam, and Superintendent Engineer of PGCB Md Adil Chowdhury, among others, spoke at the webinar.
Editor of the Energy and Power Magazine Mollah Amzad Hossain moderated the virtual programme.
