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Dhaka Friday,  Mar 29, 2024

West Energy should find Appropriate Technology, Not Bureaucratic

EB Report

The problem with Waste to Energy (W2E) in Bangladesh is finding the appropriate technology, not bureaucratic red tape or financing, Energy Advisor to the Prime Minister Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury said friday at Power and Energy Week.

“It is true that the per unit cost of electricity from W2E is high, but considering the benefit it will bring to society, I assure you that the government will provide every sort of assistance in implementing it,” he said during a seminar held at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre.

Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Annisul Huq said prompt action should be taken to implement W2E. “I have received good plans from some companies. I asked them to segregate waste in their own way, we will provide the land and the waste.”

Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Sayeed Khokon expressed doubts about W2E, saying: “I do not know whether this is feasible in Bangladesh because of the high cost per unit of electricity.

“Cities with high land prices opt for W2E supported by big government subsidies because they cannot afford to use their precious land for landfills.

“It is only possible here if the government plans to subsidise the sector heavily.”

Joerg Wagner, a German W2E specialist who presented the keynote paper, said: “With an organic waste content of 70% to 80%, Bangladesh has big potential for biogas generation.”

A feasibility study for a 20,000 metric tonne biogas pilot plant in Keraniganj found the cost of electricity to come to 0.2 euros per kWh averaged over 20 years of operation. The initial investment for the pilot plant was calculated to be 8.2 million euros.

He said a generation cost of 0.20 euro/kWh using biogas was higher than with fossil fuels and would require financial support to be successful

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