The country's solar module manufactures have demanded introduction of 30 per cent mandatory quota system for the use of local products in the public projects to help flourish the sector.
Bangladesh's solar module manufacturing industry has grown up to a level that it can now meet the entire demand of the country, they asserted.
Leaders of Solar Module Manufacturers' Association (SMMAB) came up with the assertion while addressing a press conference at Jatiya Press Club in the city Sunday. They also placed a seven-point-demand at the press conference.
The other demands include setting up a testing lab for solar panels and other related products, expediting the government's move to replace 1.34 million diesel-run irrigation pumps with solar-run ones and rolling out of annual target based roof-top solar power on all government infrastructures.
They also demanded a planned roll out of mini-grid in some 1,000 villages where grid electricity will not reach, providing 10-15 years' bank loan at 5.0 per cent interest rate as green industry and financial incentives for users of solar power.
The SMMAB leaders also sought regular stakeholders' meeting at concerned ministries in every three months, ensuring at least 15 per cent duty gap between import of raw materials and finished products, incorporating representatives of SMMAB in different committees of Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority and relevant ministries.
SMMAB President and Group Director of Rahimafrooz Munawar Misbah Moin spoke at the press conference. AMMAB General Secretary Golam Baki Masud read out its statement and the charter of demands in presence of other leaders of the organisation.
Speaking on the occasion Moin, also Managing Director of Rahimafrooz Renewable Energy Ltd., thanked the government for its support with cash incentive for photovoltaic (PV) module exports.
He, however, said currently they have been facing uneven competition at home from imported panel without maintaining any standard and quality.
Due to the uneven competition from cheap imports of Chinese and Indian panels some of the companies either keep their production capacity unutilised or some use the capacity to export their products, alleged the SMMAB leaders.
Huge quantity of low-quality solar panels are being imported due to lack of quality control mechanism, they argued urging the government to take measures to check their entrance. The government has set a target of generating 10 per cent electricity from renewable energy by 2020 which means at least 2,000 MW of power should come from renewable sources, they noted.
But so far only 600MW power is coming from renewable sources and most of this electricity is from solar home system which is now the biggest programme having installations of 6.4 million panels.
