Dhaka, October 13 State Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shaikh Faridul Islam addressed a meeting with the European Union Delegation and representatives of several European countries in Dhaka on October 13, 2026. The government has prioritized expanding solar power and solar-based irrigation to protect the environment and ensure alternative energy. Emphasis is being placed on environmental protection, climate resilience, and the closure of polluting brick kilns.
The government is also working on a carbon credit framework and a tree plantation drive to tackle pollution and climate risks. The government aims to diversify energy supply while reducing dependence on conventional fuels.
As of 2024, 459 megawatts are generated from 10 solar power plants in Bangladesh. The largest is the Teesta 200MW Solar Park in Gaibandha, launched in 2023. Bangladesh entered its renewable energy era in 2017 with the launch of a 3MW solar power plant in Sharishabari, Jamalpur.
The long term average sunshine data indicates that the period of bright sunshine hours in the coastal regions of Bangladesh varies from 3 to 11 hours daily. The insolation in Bangladesh varies from 3.8 kWh/m2/day to 6.4 kWh/m2/day at an average of 5 kWh/m2/day.
Studies have shown that Bangladesh has a solar power potential of 50,174 megawatts, which could meet approximately 80% of the country’s projected 2041 energy demand of 60,000 megawatts. These indicate that there are good prospects for solar thermal and photovoltaic application in the country. According to National database of Renewable Energy total renewable energy capacity installed in Bangladesh 1374.68 MW.
In 2021, the World Bank described Bangladesh’s off-grid solar power program as the world’s largest. The program had provided electricity access to 20 million people. With an estimated 40% of the population in Bangladesh having no access to electricity, the government introduced a scheme known as solar home systems (SHS) to provide electricity to households with no grid access.
The program reached 3 million households as of late 2014 and, with more than 50,000 systems being added per month since 2009, the World Bank has called it “the fastest growing solar home system program in the world.” The Bangladeshi government is working towards universal electricity access by 2021 with the SHS program projected to cover 6 million households by 2017. Clean energy accessibility extended to the 8.2 million inhabitants residing in rural regions of Bangladesh, ensuring universal electricity access across all households.
Renewable energy in Bangladesh refers to the use of renewable energy to generate electricity in Bangladesh. Currently, renewable energy comes from biogas that is originated from biomass, hydro power, solar and wind. Karnafuli Hydroelectric Power Station is the largest producer of renewable hydroelectricity in Bangladesh.
Inaugurated in 1962, it provides 58.97% of renewable energy share as of 2021. The first commercial wind power plant in Bangladesh, boasting a capacity of 60 megawatts with 22 turbines, began full-scale operation on 8 March 2024 in Cox’s Bazar.
However, the country’s first experimental wind power plant, a 0.9MW facility, was constructed by the Bangladesh Power Development Board near the dam along the Muhuri River in Feni in 2005. Three years later, a 1MW wind power plant was established in Kutubdia, Cox’s Bazar. Both experimental plants are now out of operation due to a lack of supervision and interest from the board.
The long term wind flow, especially in the islands and the southern coastal belt of Bangladesh indicate that the average wind speed remains between 3 and 4.5 m/s for the months of March to September and 1.7 to 2.3 for the remaining period of the year. There is a good opportunity in island and coastal areas for the application of wind mills for pumping and electrification.
