Largest rooftop solar plant starts producing electricity

Youngone Corporation, the Korean multinational conglomerate, yesterday launched the country's largest rooftop solar power plant in its Korean Export Processing Zone (KEPZ) to meet its electricity demand through renewable sources.

The company will produce 40 megawatts of solar power on the rooftops of the factory buildings with an investment of $40 million. The first phase of the project began producing 16MW of electricity yesterday.

It was jointly inaugurated by Nasrul Hamid, state minister for power, energy and mineral resources, and Lee Jang-keun, South Korean ambassador to Bangladesh.

Separate solar PV (photovoltaic) units to generate the remaining 24MWs of power will be established in two phases within the next one and a half years, according to KEPZ officials.

There are 34 factories currently operating in the economic zone. Solar panels were installed on the roofs of 16 factories to generate electricity in the first phase.

The other units will be equipped with panels over the next two phases. Solar panels that will generate 4MW of power will be installed on six more factories in October.

The panels to generate another 20MW will be set up in the third phase.

The KEPZ currently uses 14MW of electricity from Bangladesh Power Development Board.

The excess power to be generated by the EPZ will be directly fed to the national grid on weekends and holidays at the economic zone.

In case of shortages or any other reason, the KEPZ can also secure power from the national grid.

According to BPDB, such endeavours are compliant and in keeping with the net metering guidelines formulated by the Power Division.

Under the guidelines, electricity consumers can connect their rooftop solar system to the distribution grid. So, any surplus electricity can be supplied to the national grid for financial gain.

"The 40MW rooftop solar panel project shows the very vision and innovation of the KEPZ, which sets an example not only in Bangladesh but also the rest of the world," Hamid said.

The project is perfectly aligned with the government's vision and energy strategy and will be a meaningful step towards achieving Bangladesh's National Solar Energy Action Plan 2021-2041.

"The carbon neutral green growth initiative and inclusive recovery will not be possible without the active involvement and participation of the business sector," he added.

Korean Ambassador Jang-keun said the KEPZ was at the heart of Korea-Bangladesh relations as it was the single largest investment by any Korean company in the country.

The KEPZ sets a unique example of how industrial zones can be formed and operated in an environmentally sustainable manner.

It is especially impressive that even in the middle of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the KEPZ never stopped or slowed down production.

"All of the factories have been running and producing products for export," Jang-keun added.

Kihak Sung, chairman and chief executive officer of Youngone and the KEPZ, said the project's main aim was not just to harness solar energy to meet the KEPZ's growing needs in a sustainable manner but also to provide any surplus renewable energy to the national grid.

"This demonstrates the company's commitment to its social responsibilities," he said.

Youngone is the first foreign investor in Bangladesh's garment export sector and was also a pioneer in the local apparel industry in terms of female worker employment since 1980.

The KEPZ, located in Anwara and Karnafuli upazilas of Chattogram, was handed over to Korean EPZ Corporation (BD), a subsidiary of Youngone, in 1999.

The zone, made up of about 2,492 acres of green and hilly areas, was established following an agreement between Bangladesh and South Korea in 1995.

The Department of Environment gave the Environment Clearance Certificate to the KEPZ in 2009 on the condition that Youngone would use 48 per cent of the area to set up factories and other associated facilities, while the rest would be gardens and lakes.

The KEPZ employs 28,000 people in 34 factories that produce various products, including footwear, apparel and textiles.