Bangladesh gets first grid-connected agrivoltaics pilot

Bangladesh has officially launched its pioneer scientific agrivoltaic pilot project in Chuadanga to promote renewable energy without sacrificing valuable farmland.

Co-funded by the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by GIZ in Bangladesh in partnership with the Power Division, this initiative integrates solar power generation with the cultivation of crops like green chillies and rice.

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Technical expertise is provided by the Fraunhofer Institute, ensuring the facility serves as a model for sustainable land use and local capacity building.

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The project aims to create a scalable framework for achieving the nation’s clean energy targets.

Ultimately, the data gathered from this site will shape national policies to balance food security with the transition to a green economy.

The 49.6 kWp initiative is being piloted under the Green Energy Transition – Policy Advisory Partnership (GET-PAP) project, according to a press release.

Currently, green chillies are being cultivated at the pilot site, and there are plans to cultivate other suitable seasonal vegetables and rice in the coming season.

Fraunhofer ISE is the pioneer of the concept of agrivoltaics, and a leading European research and development service provider for solar energy for more than 30 years, uniquely positioned to help develop the ecosystem for agrivoltaics in Bangladesh.

Leading up to the official inauguration, hands-on training sessions were organized for local farmers, teacher and researchers, and officials from engineering, procurement and construction firms, and system operators.

These capacity-building modules focused on shade-tolerant agronomic practices, system maintenance, and digital data collection, ensuring that local agricultural communities and industry stakeholders acquire the practical skills needed to operate, sustain, and replicate the agrivoltaics model across the country based on scientific data.

Muhammad Khalequzzaman, joint secretary of the efficiency and conservation division of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, said Bangladesh will be able to play a role in achieving its sustainable energy goals without compromising on agricultural productivity and food security.

Ulrich Kleppmann, head of development cooperation at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Dhaka and Tanzina Dilshad, Programme Manager, Green Inclusive Development, Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh also spoke at the event.

As Bangladesh targets generating 20 percent of its electricity from clean energy sources by 2030, the scientific data, crop yield metrics, and operational insights gathered from the Chuadanga demonstration site will directly inform national policy frameworks.

The GET-PAP project is part of the Team Europe Initiative in Bangladesh, that pools over €3.7 billion from the European Union, member states, and financial partners to help the country build a green and resilient economy.

In November 2025, the project also helped form a National Working Group on Agrivoltaics and Floating Solar, marking a significant step towards promoting renewable energy solutions that maximise the use of limited land resources.