(BSS) - The Kaptai 7.4-Megawatt (MW) Solar Power Plant in the district has emerged as a promising example of renewable energy development in Bangladesh, demonstrating how long-abandoned hilly land can be transformed into a productive source of clean electricity.

Since its establishment in 2019, the country`s first on-grid solar power plant has supplied approximately 6.37 crore units of electricity to the national grid, with an estimated commercial market value of around Tk 74 crore.

Built on land that had remained unused for nearly 50 years, the 7.4 MW plant was developed at a cost of approximately Tk 111 crore.

Initiatives are now underway to expand its generation capacity and establish additional solar power facilities, according to officials of the Kaptai Karnaphuli Hydroelectric Power Station.

Talking to BSS, Mahmud Hasan, manager of the Kaptai Karnaphuli Hydroelectric Power Station, said that around 22 acres of land beside the Kaptai Dam had remained abandoned following the construction of the Karnaphuli Hydroelectric Power Station in 1962. Of this, 19 acres were used to establish the solar power plant in 2019.

The site, once lying idle, is now covered with rows of solar panels that convert sunlight into electricity for the national grid. The project has not only brought previously unused land into productive use but has also demonstrated the potential of solar power as an additional source of clean energy for the country.

Mohammad Jahangir Alam, assistant engineer at the Kaptai Solar Power Generation Centre, told BSS that the project was economically viable, with relatively low staffing and operating costs.

Maintenance requirements are limited, primarily involving the cleaning of solar panels. Although adverse weather conditions can reduce generation, electricity production does not necessarily come to a complete halt.

He said expanding similar projects across suitable abandoned areas in the hills could bring significant changes to the country`s electricity generation landscape.

Building on the performance of the existing plant, authorities are pursuing further expansion to increase solar power generation in Kaptai, Mahmud Hasan said.

He said work was underway to add another 1 MW of capacity to the existing facility, while the tendering process had been completed for a new 7.6 MW solar power plant in the brickfield area.

The planned projects are expected to strengthen the area`s potential for solar power generation, although their additional output will depend on implementation and commissioning.

Unlike conventional power generation based on fossil fuels, solar electricity does not require the direct burning of oil, gas or coal. Expanding solar power generation could therefore help reduce dependence on conventional fuels, ease pressure on fuel imports and create opportunities for foreign currency.

Solar energy can also contribute to environmental protection by reducing carbon emissions associated with fossil-fuel-based electricity generation.

The experience of the Kaptai plant highlights the potential for expanding solar power projects on suitable unused and non-arable land elsewhere in Bangladesh.

Experts have also recommended greater investment in rooftop solar systems, agriculture-based solar initiatives and large-scale solar parks to broaden the country`s renewable energy base.

The three hill districts together account for approximately one-tenth of Bangladesh`s territory, encompassing extensive hilly areas. With proper technical assessments, environmental safeguards and planned investment, suitable unused land in these districts could offer further opportunities for solar power development and contribute to the country`s electricity supply.

Realising this potential on a wider scale will require coordinated government initiatives, planned investment, appropriate technology and effective policy support.

Expanding such initiatives across the country could help diversify Bangladesh`s energy mix, reduce pressure from fuel imports and increase the contribution of renewable energy to the national power system.