By next February, solar power systems will be installed on the rooftops of various educational institutions. The institutions will use the electricity they generate and supply any surplus to the national grid. An agreement in this regard was signed on Tuesday at the Power Division office.
Under this project, the goal is to generate 2,000 to 3,000 megawatts of electricity from Class-A and Class-B educational institutions. The Power Division signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the Health Services Division, the Secondary and Higher Education Division, the Technical and Madrasa Education Division, the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, and the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs. The secretaries of the respective divisions signed the MoUs.
Dr. Faozul Kabir Khan, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources, attended the signing ceremony as the chief guest. He said, “The system must be connected to the national grid by February. Strict action will be taken against any distribution company that fails to comply.”
According to officials, rooftops of 46,854 Class-B institutions across the country have about 308 square feet of usable space, with the potential to generate 1,451 megawatts of electricity. Tenders have already been invited, and project implementation is expected to begin before December.
During the event, it was stated that under the National Rooftop Solar Program, solar systems at Class-B educational and healthcare institutions—including schools, colleges, madrasas, and hospitals—will be installed under the OPEX model. Under this model, institutions will not bear any installation costs, allowing them to save on electricity bills.
Power Division Secretary Farzana Momtaz said tenders are being invited, and investors will be selected based on offering the lowest electricity tariff. The winning bidders will receive financing from commercial banks and other financial institutions. Discussions have been held with commercial banks to provide low-interest loans under green finance schemes.
Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) Chairman Rezaul Karim and other officials also spoke at the event.