Bangladesh - Wind turbine electricity ushers in new hopes in the country

The first-ever generation of electricity from wind at the 0.9 Mw(900 kilowatt) plant near the Muhuri Dam in Sonagazi upazila under Feni district has ushered in new hopes for generation of power with minimum cost in the country, reports BSS. The power plant having four separate wind turbines of 225 kw each, established at a cost of Tk 90 million including Tk 19.3 million for feasibility study, is now ready to generate electricity from wind and supply to the Muhuri Irrigation Project and the national grid.

The Bangladesh Power Development Board (PDB) implemented the project under a pilot programme with technical assistance from the Nebula Techno Solutions. The main specialty of this unique wind energy is to generate electricity at 440V, and longevity of this sort of plant is 20 to 30 years.

Members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Institutions, led by its chairman Abdul Alim, MP, visited the plant Friday and expressed their satisfactions. Other members of the committee were Whip Rezaul Bari Dina, MP, Abdul Wadud Bhuiyan, MP, Abdullah Muhammad Taher, MP, Alhaj Salahuddin Ahmed, MP, and Col (retd) Farruk Khan, MP. Chief Engineer of PDB and Director of the project Khizir Khan and member Delwar Hossain highlighted different aspects of the project, including generation of electricity and maintenance cost. Khan said it takes only Tk 11.8 million to generate each kw power from wind while average kw generation cost in other power plants is Tk 30 million. "Wind energy is technically feasible, financially viable and environment-friendly," he observed.

"Our neighboring country India currently generates more than 4000mw power from wind," he said, adding, "If we get financial support, generation of power from the plant could be raised up to 250mw." Abdul Alim said, "We will put forward recommendations to the government about economic viability of the plant and request the authorities concerned to set up more wind-power plants in Cox's Bazar, Patenga in Chittagong and Kuakata in Patuakhali district." Local parliament members Zainul Abedin and Mosharraf Hossain were also present on the occasion. Wind energy is produced mainly by massive three-bladed wind turbines that sit atop all towers and work like fans in reverse. Rather than using electricity to make wind, turbines use wind to make power.