Category: Energy and Power

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Autonomous Rosatom Corporate Academy will implement a series of joint initiatives, educational programs, seminars, and strategic sessions to promote increased participation of women and youth in the nuclear industry. An agreement to this effect, for a period of two years, was signed on the sidelines of the 69th General Conference of the IAEA, held recently in Vienna. Mikhail Chudakov, Deputy Director General of the IAEA, and Yulia Uzhakina, Director General of the Rosatom Corporate Academy, signed the agreement on behalf of their respective sides.

tatyana Terentieva, Deputy Director General for Human Resources at Rosatom, was also present. ‘Today, we are signing a landmark agreement that opens a new chapter in our long-standing and fruitful cooperation with Rosatom.

this is the first step of the Corporate Academy towards obtaining the prestigious status of the IAEA Cooperation Center, and we see great potential in this,’ Mikhail Chudakov said. ‘As part of the partnership, we pay attention to strategically important areas, primarily working with talented youth, supporting and developing the leadership potential of women professionals in the nuclear industry.’

The Advisers Council Committee on Government Purchase (ACCGP) on 16 September cancelled the tender for appointing an Operations and Maintenance (OandM) contractor for the Single Point Mooring (SPM) project.

the committee approved the cancellation when the Energy and Mineral Resources Division placed the proposal at the meeting chaired by Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed at the Secretariat.

earlier, on 21 November 2024, the government had approved in principle the appointment of China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Company Ltd (CPPEC) as the OandM contractor on a governmentto-government (G2G) basis.

the approval was given in a meeting of the Advisers Council Committee on Economic Affairs (ACCEA). The CPPEC had been working as the contractor for the SPM project, and BPC selected the firm for the OandM job without any competitive bidding process. The proposal was moved to ACCEA by the Energy and Mineral Resources Division under the Speedy Increase of Power and Energy Supply (Special Provision) Act 2010. But a few days after the approval, the government repealed the Speedy Increase of Power and Energy Supply (Special Provision) Act 2010 on 1 December, following an order from the High Court that removed the scope for signing the contract with the Chinese firm.

The government has taken several decisions to make the Bangladesh Secretariat free from single-use plastics from October 2 under a pilot initiative.

the decision would be implemented by putting in place a strict checking system at all the secretariat entrances to prevent the entry of identified single-use plastic items, said a recent press release from the environment, forest and climate change ministry.

each ministry will appoint a focal person and form a monitoring committee, while the ministries and departments located outside the secretariat premises will also implement the decision. If this pilot program succeeds, it will serve as a model to scale across the country, as per the release.

the government’s first initiative in this regard came in August last year just after the interim government’s takeover when single-use plastic bottles were banned on the Chief Adviser’s Office premises.

Some of the world’s leading banks provided more than twice as much finance for fossil fuels between 2021 and 2024 as for sustainable alternatives, a new study said recently.

the study by Reclaim Finance and partners such as WWF, Urgewald, and Rainforest Action Network said ‘the biggest 65 banks are not on track when it comes to financing the energy transition.’ Top global banks such as HSBC, JP Morgan, and Santander had between 2021 and 2024 allocated only $1,368 billion ‘for sustainable power such as solar, wind, and related infrastructure … while $3,285 billion was allocated to fossil fuels,’ it said. ‘This.. means for each dollar allocated to fossil fuels, just 42 cents went to sustainable alternatives,’ it said.

the study said US and Canadian banks provide four times more financing for fossil fuels than for sustainable alternatives.

institutions in Asia and Europe were better, but still ‘well below’ levels needed for the energy transition.

the study quoted UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres as saying this year that ‘the (energy) transition is not yet fast enough or fair enough.’

After almost 17 years, Bangladesh has unveiled a revised version of its Renewable Energy Policy that aims to ensure that at least 20 percent of the country’s total electricity supply comes from renewable energy by 2030 and at least 30 percent by 2040.

the policy promises many lucrative incentives, including ten years of corporate tax exemptions for both government and private renewable energy producers, followed by five years of half-exemption, and a waiver of import duty on solar equipment.

it also allows consumers from all segments (domestic, industrial, and commercial) to install renewable energy systems and sell surplus electricity to the government or individual players under the Net Metering Guidelines 2018.

at a broader level, its vision is to decarbonize the energy sector, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and create an energy-efficient, low-carbon economy by scaling out technology solutions such as solar, wind, biomass, wasteto-energy, biofuels, geothermal, tidal, hydro, and green hydrogen.

the policy additionally encourages innovative solutions such as peer-to-peer energy trading, floating solar projects, solar irrigation, EV charging infrastructure, and Battery Energy Storage Systems for improving grid integration and stability to meet its 6,145 MW renewable capacity target by 2030 and 17,470 MW renewable capacity target by 2041. Despite this renewed ambition, certain issues and gaps exist within the policy design.

the biggest challenge in meeting the renewables target is the financing. According to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), this will cost Bangladesh USD 933-980 million/yr until 2030 and USD 1.37-1.46 billion/yr till 2040.

the energy sector had received only 3.6 percent of the funds it needed by 2023, while banks and non-banking financial institutions financed only BDT 742 crore in renewable projects, in contrast to an estimated requirement of BDT 20,500 crore, as per a study by the Bangladesh Institute of Bank Management (BIBM). Given the funding shortfall, we need substantial private and foreign investments. Some support exists, like 350 million Euro loans from the European Investment Bank and 45 million Euro from EU grants, but that is still far away from the annual requirement.

in the policy, a fund has been proposed named Sustainable Energy Development Fund (SEDF), but it neither specifies its governance structure nor the funding sources, which further decreases investors’ confidence. Provisions such as incentives that the government ‘may’ provide or duty exemptions it ‘might’ grant, whichare often unclear, create uncertainty for investors. Such phrasing completely casts doubt on the true motivation.

uncertainty about implementation and potential support might cause investors and industry players to sit on the sidelines.

investor confidence has also been rattled by the suspension of 31 utility-scale renewables projects for which Letters of Intent were issued through a non-competitive bidding process.

these challenges are compounded by institutional fragility beyond finances and investor confidence.

in the policy, the Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (SREDA) has been assigned the nodal role in developing the roadmap, establishing standards, and monitoring projects. However, as we realize that without deadlines, milestones, and accountability mechanisms, the commitment to achieving the renewable target risks becoming a mere piece of paper.

adding to this, land scarcity presents another barrier. While the policy suggests Khas land, fallow fields, water bodies, agrivoltaics, and floating solar, these are often stalled by bureaucracy, vested interests, and local resistance. For example, wind projects in Cox’s Bazar might face conflicts with the fisher communities. Such projects are even more at risk of conflict if they are not consulted and compensated adequately.

the policy encourages rooftop solar.

the interim government aims for a 3,000 MW rooftop solar target by December 2025, but it is ambitious in view of systemic constraints such as low standards, weak enforcement, high tariffs on imports, capacity limitations, and funding hurdles. The shortcomings become even clearer when compared regionally.

out of the 1,616 MW of renewable capacity in Bangladesh, only 245 MW comes from rooftop solar (0.8 percent). Sri Lanka, on the other hand, produces 1,347 MW of rooftop solar energy, comprising 23 percent of its renewable mix. With approximately 25 percent of its renewables coming from rooftop capacity, Pakistan performs even better, with 15,000 MW of rooftop solar. Moreover, import duties remain a persistent barrier. We know that inverter duty has now been reduced to 1.0 percent from June 2025, but taxes on Fiberglass Reinforced Polymer (FRP) walkways and Direct Current (DC) cables remain high. In terms of inclusion, this policy does not recognize the agency of women and youth. Women in rural Bangladesh, who manage most household energy and often lead microgrid or rooftop solar projects, are not mentioned anywhere in the policy and receive no recognition or role as stakeholders. Even youth, whose potential for sustainable innovation will be critical for a country with two-thirds of the population under the age of 35, are also ignored. Another major concern is that there is still no Just Transition framework in the policy.

this framework, which is also the backbone of global climate policy, ensures that the transition to renewables is fair and will not leave workers and communities behind. Without it, the transition may risk marginalising vulnerable groups and deepening existing social and economic inequalities. To overcome the challenges, a combination of strategic, institutional, and public interventions is required. Strengthening SREDA needs to be prioritized, which requires more resources, skilled officials, and, more importantly, accountability.

the policy also needs to have a clear, time-bound trajectory with milestones, performance indicators, and responsible agents to address the past gaps.

it is essential to set up a coordination framework across relevant ministries; otherwise, ministries may carry out their own plans without being on the same page. A financing and investment plan should be carefully designed to integrate public funds, private capital, foreign direct investment, and climate finance.

timely and transparent land acquisition, fair compensation, and a mechanism for conflict resolution are critical in reducing local resistance.

the policy should incorporate Just Transition principles, protect workers, and prioritize women and youth as change drivers. Finally, all vague language and obscurity need to be replaced with binding commitments, clear incentives, and strong governance mechanisms.

Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL), in partnership with SME Foundation, organized a Focused Group Discussion (FGD) titled ‘Unlocking CMSME Potential: Bridging the Gaps.’ The session brought together entrepreneurs, financial institutions, regulators, and development partners to deliberate on the challenges and solutions for Bangladesh’s cottage, micro, small and medium enterprises (CMSMEs). Welcoming the participants, IDCOL CEO Alamgir Morshed stressed that CMSMEs contribute 25 percent of GDP and employ more than 34 million people, yet face a financing gap of over USD 73 billion (approximately BDT 9 lakh crore), constraining their potential. ‘CMSMEs are the backbone of our economy and crucial for resilience and job creation,’ Mr. Morshed remarked. ‘IDCOL has been working for over two decades to promote sustainable infrastructure, renewable energy, and inclusive finance. Building on this track record, we now want to ensure that CMSMEs also benefit from affordable credit, capacity building, and stronger market linkages.’ The consultation was attended by entrepreneurs, banks, NBFIs, MFIs, PKSF, Bangladesh Bank, SME Foundation, the Ministry of Industries, the Microcredit Regulatory Authority, BSCIC, and development partners, who shared their perspectives on the way forward.

The African Union has announced plans to form a coalition of mineral-producing nations to manage the global rush for critical minerals after holding a climate summit. Africa holds vast mineral wealth – from the rare earths in conflict-hit Democratic Republic of Congo to oil-rich Nigeria – but has struggled to capitalize on its resources after decades of colonial plunder, and subsequent mismanagement and corruption.

the 54-nation African Union met this week for a climate summit in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.

in a statement published recently, it said it would ‘explore and support the establishment of a coalition of critical mineral-producing countries of Africa to promote strategic and sustainable regional cooperation’. Labelling the move ‘Africa’s Green Minerals Strategy’, the AU said it would be a ‘vehicle for harnessing Africa’s vast mineral wealth for climateresilient development’.

the move comes as Washington looks to secure a supply of strategic minerals from the DR Congo, in an attempt to challenge China’s near-monopoly on the lucrative sector.

uN head Antonio Guterres said in August that Africa could become a ‘renewable superpower’ as it taps the raw materials needed for green technology around the world.

Seven people suffered burns in an explosion at Gulshan Petrol Pump in Mohakhali Amtali area of Dhaka recently.

of them, Swapan Molla, 24, Kabir, 18, Rubel, 28, and Khairul, 28, are employees of the Gulshan Clean and Care company, while Masudur Rahman, 44, is another company owner, and Almagir Hossain, 40, and Sojib, 31, are his employees. Gulshan Clean and Care staff member Swapan said they were taken to the petrol pump to clean an underground tank.

once the fuel had been removed, they entered the tank to clean it and used an electric fan to remove the remaining gas inside. ‘At one point, when we went to switch off the electric fan, the explosion occurred inside and all seven of us who were nearby suffered burns.,’ he said. Locals who rushed them to National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery said the fire was extinguished immediately after the explosion. Doctors at the burn institute said the injured were kept under observation.

Vertical solar specialist Over Easy Solar has broke its own record for the world’s largest rooftop vertical solar array with a 320 kW system in the north Norwegian city of Tromsø. Norwegian startup Over Easy Solar has deployed what it claims to be the world’s largest rooftop installation of vertical solar panels in Tromsø, northern Norway.

the 320 kW solar array features 6,400 vertical solar panels installed on the top of the logistics terminal Tromsøterminalen.

it was mounted by three people in four days, according to the company.

over Easy Solar says vertical solar panels are beneficial in northern latitudes such as Tromsø, which is located within the Arctic Circle, as they capture more energy from the low-angle sunlight common in the north, can generate more electricity in the morning and afternoon, and stay clear of snow accumulation, helping to improve year-round performance. ‘Vertical solar panels are very well suited for northern latitudes and snowy regions, so we hope this becomes a model project for others who want to invest in sustainable power production from flat rooftops in the north,’ commented Over Easy Solar CEO Trygve Mongstad. ‘As far as I know, this is now the city’s largest solar system, and the world’s largest vertical rooftop installation.’

EU countries have sought to settle on an emissions-cutting plan to bring to a key UN conference in Brazil, as divisions on the bloc’s green agenda threaten its global leadership on climate.

environment ministers for the 27-nation bloc gathered recently in Brussels with the clock ticking down on a United Nations deadline to produce plans to fight global warming by 2035.

one of the world’s biggest greenhouse-gas emitters behind China, the United States, and India, the EU has to date been the most committed to climate action, by some margin.

as such, the bloc was hoping to pull ahead and derive its submission to November’s COP30 climate conference from a more ambitious 2040 goal. But that is yet to be agreed by member states, leaving Brussels scrambling for a lastminute solution. Denmark, which holds the EU’s rotating presidency, has suggested submitting to the UN a ‘statement of intent’, rather than a hard target.

that would include a pledge to cut emissions between 66.3 percent and 72.5 percent compared to 1990 levels — with the range expected to be narrowed down at a later stage.