100 kW Solar Mini Grid at Sandwip Island
The Sandwip Island, has a population of 400,000, is detached from Chittagong mainland by a channel of about 75 kilometers. Located along the south eastern coast of Bangladesh, the island is 50 kilometres long and 5.15 kilometres wide. There are 15 unions in Sandwip.Because of its position and inaccessibility there is no possibility of grid electrification service in this area in the distant future. Sandwip is an upazilla with very high literacy rate and remittance earnings from the United States and Middle Eastern countries.
The island, however, has a dynamic population with various public and private service offerings providing support to the general public including educational institutions, health service centers, small and medium enterprises, etc. Despite shortage of reliable and consistent supply of electricity, use and willingness of use of various loads have been found in this region i.e. computers, printers, scanners, photocopy machine, refrigerators, color television, etc.
At present, the electricity demand of general shops in the markets of Sandwip are served by diesel micro-grid run by several diesel generator operators who provide services for about 5 to 8 hours per day. Besides, several diesel generators are used by several shop owners for captive consumption. Average tariff rate being charged to the customers by the diesel operators currently range between BDT 53 per kWh and BDT 60 per kWh. Bangladesh Power Development Board also has diesel generator that supplies electricity to mainly government offices.
Several non-government organizations (NGOs) have been providing off-grid electrification solution in the household levels through ‘solar home system’ units in Sandwip under a program run by state-owned financial institution.namedLighting Rural Bangladesh “LRB”. LRB was established by the Government of Bangladesh to catalyse the development of private sector infrastructure and