Solar panels are installed on the roofs of 19 buildings of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) to generate electricity from a self-sustained source. This initiative is part of a solar power project aimed at producing an average of 12 megawatts of electricity daily.
A ceremony was organized on Monday at BUET’s Civil Engineering Building rooftop to inaugurate the “BUET Rooftop Solar Project (BRSP).” The Education Minister Dipu Moni, who attended the event as the chief guest, officially launched the project. BUET Vice-Chancellor Satyendra Prasad Majumder and Pro-Vice-Chancellor Abdus Jabbar Khan were also present at the occasion.
According to the university authorities, this project will help meet 30% of BUET’s daily electricity demand. The estimated cost for this project is more than one crore Bangladeshi Taka. Over 28 crore Taka is expected to be saved over 25 years.
After inaugurating the project, Education Minister Dipu Moni mentioned, “The country’s daily electricity demand is increasing. The use of solar energy to produce a significant portion of the power is always a consideration. In all sectors, we must focus on protecting the environment.”
She also highlighted plans to install solar panels on the roofs of secondary level educational institutions. There are around 33,000 secondary-level educational institutions in the country, and this initiative will lead to cleaner energy production and cost savings for these institutions.
BUET Vice-Chancellor Satyendra Prasad Majumder mentioned, “Whenever any new technology comes to the country, BUET is always at the forefront to work with it. BUET always collaborates to enhance the use of technology.”
He expressed hope that in the future, solar panels would be installed on the roofs of every house, and BUET would contribute to this endeavor.
During the program, BRSP’s details and expansion plans were discussed. The project operates under the Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOT) model, where BUET provides unused rooftops, and three cooperating organizations – PSL Environment and Green Energy Ltd, Genex Infrastructure Limited, and Pacific Solar and Renewable Energy Ltd – manage the installation. The contract with BUET is for 25 years.
