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Technical appraisal of solar home systems in Bangladesh: A field investigation

Author

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  • Chowdhury, Shahriar A.
  • Mourshed, Monjur
  • Kabir, S.M. Raiyan
  • Islam, Moududul
  • Morshed, Tanvir
  • Khan, M. Rezwan
  • Patwary, Mohammad N.

Abstract

Solar Home System (SHS) based rural electrification has experienced a considerable growth in Bangladesh since the start of the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Development Project (REREDP) in 2003. The initial target of 50,000 SHS installations in off-grid areas was achieved within 2.5 years, 3 years ahead of schedule. After achieving a revised target of 200,000 SHSs, ahead of schedule in early 2009, a new target of 1 million SHS installations by 2012 was set. The installation of about 0.5 million systems by March 2010 indicates that the current target may well be achieved before the deadline. The size of the SHS market and its impact on the regeneration of the rural economy make it necessary to investigate the quality and reliability of the installed SHSs, if the continued success of the initiative is to be maintained. This paper reports on the findings from a field-based technical appraisal of SHS installations in Bangladesh. Sixty geographically dispersed installation sites were visited. Physical characteristics of the SHSs and their system components were tested to ascertain compliance with and deviations from the approved specifications. Despite the overwhelming success of the REREDP project, the study revealed various shortcomings. Notable among these are: incompatible and sub-optimal component configurations, faulty installations and a lack of effective quality assurance mechanism. The findings are contextualized and the ways to address the identified shortcomings are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Chowdhury, Shahriar A. & Mourshed, Monjur & Kabir, S.M. Raiyan & Islam, Moududul & Morshed, Tanvir & Khan, M. Rezwan & Patwary, Mohammad N., 2011. "Technical appraisal of solar home systems in Bangladesh: A field investigation," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 772-778.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:36:y:2011:i:2:p:772-778
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2010.07.027
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    1. Rofiqul Islam, M. & Rabiul Islam, M. & Rafiqul Alam Beg, M., 2008. "Renewable energy resources and technologies practice in Bangladesh," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 12(2), pages 299-343, February.
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    1. Khan, Tahsina & Khanam, Shamsun Nahar & Rahman, Md Habibur & Rahman, Syed Mahbubur, 2019. "Determinants of microfinance facility for installing solar home system (SHS) in rural Bangladesh," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 299-308.
    2. Judith A. Cherni & Raúl Olalde Font & Lucía Serrano & Felipe Henao & Antonio Urbina, 2016. "Systematic Assessment of Carbon Emissions from Renewable Energy Access to Improve Rural Livelihoods," Energies, MDPI, vol. 9(12), pages 1-19, December.
    3. Bhattacharyya, Subhes C., 2015. "Mini-grid based electrification in Bangladesh: Technical configuration and business analysis," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 745-761.
    4. Abdul Hasib Siddique & Mehedi Hasan & Sharnali Islam & Khalid Rashid, 2021. "Prospective Smart Distribution Substation in Bangladesh: Modeling and Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-20, September.
    5. Md. Abdullah-Al-Mahbub & Abu Reza Md. Towfiqul Islam & Hussein Almohamad & Ahmed Abdullah Al Dughairi & Motrih Al-Mutiry & Hazem Ghassan Abdo, 2022. "Different Forms of Solar Energy Progress: The Fast-Growing Eco-Friendly Energy Source in Bangladesh for a Sustainable Future," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-28, September.
    6. Mourshed, Monjur, 2011. "The impact of the projected changes in temperature on heating and cooling requirements in buildings in Dhaka, Bangladesh," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(11), pages 3737-3746.
    7. Elizabeth Baldwin & Jennifer N. Brass & Sanya Carley & Lauren M. MacLean, 2015. "Electrification and rural development: issues of scale in distributed generation," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Energy and Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 4(2), pages 196-211, March.
    8. Chowdhury, Shahriar Ahmed & Mourshed, Monjur, 2016. "Off-grid electrification with solar home systems: An appraisal of the quality of components," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 585-598.
    9. Abdul Hasib Siddique & Sumaiya Tasnim & Fahim Shahriyar & Mehedi Hasan & Khalid Rashid, 2021. "Renewable Energy Sector in Bangladesh: The Current Scenario, Challenges and the Role of IoT in Building a Smart Distribution Grid," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-24, August.
    10. Ahammed, Faisal & Azeem, Abdullahil, 2013. "Selection of the most appropriate package of Solar Home System using Analytic Hierarchy Process model in rural areas of Bangladesh," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 6-11.
    11. Carrasco, L.M. & Narvarte, L. & Lorenzo, E., 2013. "Operational costs of A 13,000 solar home systems rural electrification programme," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 20(C), pages 1-7.
    12. Werulkar, Ashutosh Sudhirrao & Kulkarni, Prakash S., 2015. "A case study of residential solar photovoltaic system with utility backup in Nagpur, India," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 1809-1822.
    13. Jaybee Lacea & Edward Querikiol & Evelyn Taboada, 2021. "Balancing Energy Trilemma Using Hybrid Distributed Rooftop Solar PV (DRSP)/Battery/Diesel Microgrid: A Case Study in Gilutongan Island, Cordova, Cebu, Philippines," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-32, November.
    14. Jashim Uddin Ahmed & Niza Talukder & Asma Ahmed, 2020. "Infrastructure Development Company Limited Solar Home System Program: A Sustainable Solution for Energizing Rural Bangladesh," South Asian Journal of Business and Management Cases, , vol. 9(2), pages 219-236, August.
    15. Rahman, Syed M. & Ahmad, Mokbul M., 2013. "Solar Home System (SHS) in rural Bangladesh: Ornamentation or fact of development?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 348-354.
    16. Roche, O.M. & Blanchard, R.E., 2018. "Design of a solar energy centre for providing lighting and income-generating activities for off-grid rural communities in Kenya," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 685-694.

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