According to a recently published report in this newspaper lifestyle of over 5,000 families living in remote char villages under Nageswari upazila of Kurigram has changed after distribution of cost-free solar panels by the government there in recent years. The char people are enjoying electricity-oriented facilities getting uninterrupted power supply from solar panel units set up on their houses in the hard-to-reach riverine char villages remaining detached from the mainland.

Bangladesh has a success story in developing off-grid rooftop solar power known as solar home system (SHS) which has given electricity to a large number of people living in rather remote off-grid areas and who would not have electricity otherwise. More than four million SHS installed domestically have uplifted the lifestyle of these impoverished people by providing small-scale power at their homes.

With the cost of installing solar panels coming down, each village in future may be able to set up panels and generate enough power for irrigation. Initially though, donor agencies as well as non-governmental organisations, micro-finance institutions, private companies and commercial banks can play a vital role in funding the installation of more pumps.     

With long hot summer months Bangladesh is an ideal candidate for increased use of solar energy. If solar and other renewable energy sources can gradually replace the used fossil fuels in the irrigation sector not only will it save crores of taka spent in importing diesel but emission free agricultural practice will help reduce the carbon foot print to a great degree.  

With climate change becoming a looming threat the country must look for ways to increase the use of renewable energy sources like solar power. Solar energy generates energy without releasing greenhouse effect gases (GHG), making them an indispensable ally in the battle against climate change and environmental degradation. In any case fossil fuels will be depleted in the long rung unlike solar power.  The need for using solar energy in Bangladesh can’t be overemphasised. The sun is a huge source of renewable, clean energy. Some estimate that sunlight could produce 10,000 times as much power as the earth used at the turn of the 21st century. And as long as there is a sun, there will be solar power.