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Dr. Saifur Rahman is the Joseph R. Loring Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Director of the Advanced Research Institute at Virginia Tech, USA. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and served as a Vice President and a Director of the IEEE Board of Governors in 2006. Dr. Rahman is a member of the Editorial Board of the Proceedings of the IEEE.
His research interests include alternate energy systems, infrastructure studies and parallel computing. He has authored over 300 technical papers and presentations in these areas and given lectures on renewable energy in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Russia, Turkey, Greece, South Africa, India, China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Bangladesh.
In addition to his academic appointments, Professor Rahman has served as the Program Director of the Energy Systems Program at the US National Science Foundation. His other industry and government experience includes work at the Tokyo Electric Power Company, Japan, the Brookhaven National Laboratory, Carolina Power and Light Company, and consultancy for the United Nations and the Asian Development Bank.
Journalist Kamrul Hasan Khan talked to him on various energy issues, concentrating on renewables. Following are the excerpts:
Energy & Power: Why do we need Renewable Energy (RE), particularly in Bangladesh?
Dr. Saifur Rahman: Renewable energy does two things for most countries: 1. Reduces dependence on imported fuels and 2. Minimizes the emission of CO2 which is the most common greenhouse gas and primarily responsible for global warming and climate change. Both of these are important for Bangladesh.
EP: The Bangladesh government has the vision to provide electricity to every house by 2020. How RE can contribute to that vision?
SR: One way to provide electricity to every house in the country is to extend the power grid to every corner of the country and build distributed generation in island locations. This is clearly not cost effective for Bangladesh given the low level of industrialization in the country. Thus renewable energy, primarily solar, can play a significant role in meeting lighting and small appliance loads in many remote areas of Bangladesh.
EP: Would you please tell us about the LGED and NGO initiatives to provide solar panels to houses and its future?
SR: I am told that LGED is promoting 10-watt solar panels with 1-watt (each) LED lamps including battery back-up in Bangladesh with a cost of about Tk 6,000 for each system. This is a very cost effective approach for Bangladesh if the LED lamps can hold up in household end-use applications.
There have been other solar photovoltaic applications with larger systems costing about Tk 30,000 each which serves up to five compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) which are of higher wattage but with proven performance in household applications.
I understand that Grameen Shakti has marketed a good number of these systems and provided credit to the end users such that these can be affordable.
EP: Against the backdrop of country's politics, corruption and bureaucracy, how can Bangladesh implement RE policies successfully?
SR: With recent political changes in the country one would hope that the impact of these negative factors could be minimized.
EP: How will you compare the RE pictures of Bangladesh and India?
SR: Indian (both union and many states) governments are working for over 20 years to promote renewable energy in the country. There are ministries at the central level and renewable energy development authorities at the state level which can support awareness program developments, encourage R&D at universities and companies, provide financial and technical assistance to end user groups, etc.
Bangladesh can benefit from such experiences in India. At the end of 2006 India hosted over 6,500,000 kilowatts of wind electricity capacity making it fourth largest in the world.
EP: Are you interested to work for RE expansion in Bangladesh? Have you done something in this regard?
SR: I have given lectures, assisted with field level projects and advised end users in Bangladesh in the field of renewable energy (primarily solar photovoltaic) for the last 20 years.
The greatest support I can provide is to share my experience in other countries - like what Indonesia did to provide solar photovoltaic electricity to hundreds of thousands of homes in remote island locations. Also I can assist with technology transfer from the industrialized countries to Bangladesh.
EP: What do you think about requirement of local experts for RE expansion? Have there sufficient educational infrastructure or educational curricular?
SR: There is a need for expert manpower to promote solar energy application in a country. But that manpower can be easily and quickly trained if the demand can be created. It would help if awareness about the technology and its benefits can be brought to the elementary school level so that citizens will be aware of the potentials for renewable energy at a very early age.
EP: Most of the people in Bangladesh do not know RE and its significance. What can be done to promote people's awareness?
SR: Radio and TV programs can be created to explain the benefits of renewable energy -- both to provide safe and clean electricity and to show how easily these can be made available in even remote parts of the country.
EP: What are the problems in implementing RE project in Bangladesh?
SR: Lack of awareness, and the lack of interest among banks and other financial institutions to provide credit for end use applications - which generally have higher first costs but very long life and no fuel costs.
EP: Are you optimistic about RE future in Bangladesh?
SR: I am optimistic about the future of renewable energy in Bangladesh simply because as when costs begin to drop there will be large-scale utilization. And the country provides very good solar resource.
EP: Did any government invite you to consul about RE? Did Bangladesh government ask for your cooperation in this regard?
SR: No, not yet.
EP: There is the necessity to establish a one window operation -- REDA -- for RE policy of Bangladesh. How do you see this?
SR: Such agencies exist in India, and their performance has generally helped with the promotion as well as technological improvements in the hardware. Bangladesh can learn from both successes and limitations of the REDAs in India
EP: How the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) can contribute to this sector?
SR: Renewable energy based electrical generation (primarily solar photovoltaic) has been growing slowly in Bangladesh. One reason is high initial cost. FDI can be attracted to provide the initial capital at low-level short-term interest rate. But certain conditions need to be created such that foreign investors feel comfortable in vesting here. |