Energy Bangla

Experts and scientists of MONASH University and RMIT of Melbourne have suggested  Bangladeshi policy makers should appoint an independent consultant to examine  coal issues for ensuring safe transformation from gas-fired power generation to coal-fired power.
“As Bangladesh is planning to generate huge power from coal and set to run the pipeline with imported coal, it should engage an independent consultant to exercise the whole issues, as choice of coal, plant design, coal transportation and installation of a coal terminal. Besides,
selection of long term coal suppliers and installation of a world class laboratory are the pre- requisite to installing a huge number of coal-fired power plants,” observed Dr Sankar Bhattacharya, Professor and Deputy Head of Department of Chemical Engineering at the  MONASH University.
He said as Bangladesh’s government plans  fuel diversification, especially to switch from gas- based plants to coal-fired ones, it needs to meet maximum conditions for the transformation of mode of power generation before finalizing any plant design and turbine for the coal-fired power plants.
Professor Sankar made these comments at a workshop at Monash University in Melbourne on Monday where about 18 Bangladeshi officials from the Power and Energy Division have are  participating.  The workshop on “Capacity Development of Bangladesh Energy and Power Sectors: Australia -Bangladesh Regional Collaboration” is being held from 25 July to 9 August 2015 under the auspices of  RMIT and MONASH  University.
He also said to explore alternative options for raising power generation, Bangladesh government is to find out ways to extract coal for meeting the country’s growing energy demand. Here, he said, it should be kept in mind if they engage any consultant from the supplier side they must work to protect the interest of their company, not the interest of the GOB.
“So, it is better to engage independent consultant to do the mammoth job and to get a real picture about the whole thing. Otherwise, within two to three years of commissioning, the plant may go out of order,” he said.
Bangladesh government has set to increase power generation capacity to 24,000 MW by 2018 to make Bangladesh a middle income group country. The present installed capacity for power generation is nearly 11,000 MW plus but effectively the existing power plants can generate around 8,500 MW. So, the target is to double the generation capacity in the next three years. Earlier, the government had targeted generation of 20,000 MW power by 2021. This target has been re-fixed at 24,000 MW for the same period. And 60 percent of the generation would come from coal-fired power plants.
Bangladesh is now producing only 1000-1500 million tonnes of coal per day. Although government officials repeatedly said coal is the alternative source of fuel but due to lack of  policy it has failed to deal with it. However, the country has five coal mines with a reserve of about 4.5 billion tonnes, including 2 billion tonnes recoverable.
Echoing the Monash varsity Professor’s view, the General Manager of Gladstone Power Station Manager John Abbott told this correspondent that if Bangladesh goes to mix its own coals with the imported coal, it must go for lab test.
“Sulphur, moisture, carbon and other particles are a huge issue in coal-fired power plant. We know that Bangladesh’s coal is black and its ash contain is 12 per cent although its calorific value is high. However, it is not good to use for power generation, and if you want to blend it with the imported one, you need to go for lab test and match with 7 challenges,” John said.
However, the government is yet to finalise the draft coal policy although it has been reviewed six times. Still then, the ministry has felt that it needs some review to make it more realistic one. The government formed six committees in the last 10 years but failed to reach a final decision.
Although Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina recommended open-pit mining of the north side of the Barapukuria coalfield in Dinajpur, the government would not take any hurried decision on open-pit mining as it is a densely populated area.
According to the energy ministry sources, the Prime minister asked them to formulate the coal policy urgently as it is needed to deal with the coal sector.
Earlier, the Prime Minister’s Adviser Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury  said at the seminar that to make the whole thing achievable the government has created a infrastructure fund. This fund will also be used for the development of the coal sector. “We are planning to produce 50 per cent power from using our own coal in future”, he said.
As stated in the budget for the fiscal year 2015-2016, the government intends to reduce gas-based power generation (which is currently around 78 per cent) and gradually shift to coal-fired power generation. Following the guideline, the government is targeting generation of 5,000 MW coal-fired power plants within 2017. Presently, the Barapukuria mine coal-fired power plants generate nearly 160MW electricity (installed capacity 250 MW) only.
“If the government really wants to move to coal era from the gas era, it should be serious on developing the coal import facilities, start huge river dredging, and barging and anchoring facilities for oceangoing coal-carrying mother vessels at deep sea port or identify a point for coal shipment which are some of the major necessary infrastructure development works associated with the installation of a 25,000 MW coal fired power project,” Sankar said.
Sankar ruled out the myth over the technology of installation of “ultra-supercritical coal-fired power plant” and sub critical plants saying  “this technology is not a proven one, it does not make any effect both in terms of reducing carbon or sulphur emission or increasing the efficiency level of a coal-fired power plant.
“These are the brain child of a hired consultant, so to be honest my suggestion is to engage an independent consultant, pay him adequate amount of money and peak the right-suitable and sustainable technology for you,” Dr Sankar added.