Solar power plant
I am rather disappointed to learn from a news report published in DS on February 11,2008 that the solar power plant installed by the Power Development Board (PDB) at Bagachola village under Barkal upazila in Rangamati at a cost of Tk.8 lakh is virtually of no use because of lack of proper management. The report further said that about Tk.4 lakh is being spent for salary of 29 staffs engaged for the maintenance of the solar projects.
The solar power plant was set up to supply power and safe drinking water to the village. But none of the goals could be accomplished! The villagers informed that the water supply from the solar powered deep tube-well to a nearby Buddhist temple is absolutely unsafe for drinking. However, there was no mention, why the water is unsafe? Does it contain dirty materials or excessive iron or any other mineral?
Solar energy is a great natural source of power. The basic industry of our planet is agriculture. In fact, the efficient use of solar energy is a founding principle of agriculture. During the little Ice Age, the Medieval European farmers used elaborate field orientation and thermal mass techniques to convert as much sunlight into food as possible. Photosynthesis is an important process in plant which requires solar energy.
Fortunately, Bangladesh receives ample sunlight which can easily be converted into solar energy either through the photovoltaic effect or by heating a transfer fluid to produce steam to run a generator for the generation of electricity.
So, we should not ignore the great potentiality of our solar resource. Rather, small solar power plants should be installed in every part of our country, particularly in the villages to generate electricity for domestic use as well as for running irrigational pumps. In this field, the government may take up a national programme for setting up solar power plants and their maintenance. An independent organisation is needed for solar power generation, distribution, and maintenance.
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