Padakhep takes initiative to expand rooftop solar power

Responding to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's call for greater use of renewable energy, Padakhep Manabik Unnayan Kendra has taken an initiative to expand rooftop solar power among households across the country, drawing on its more than two decades of experience in the sector.

The organisation is showcasing its experience, solar energy projects and technologies at the two-day Bangladesh Solar Expo 2026, which began at the Bangladesh-China Friendship International Conference Centre in Agargaon on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman inaugurated the expo, jointly organised by the Power Division, the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, and the Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL).

As part of its new initiative, Padakhep is preparing to work as a Demand Aggregator (DA) under IDCOL's Domestic Rooftop Solar (DRS) Programme to encourage households to adopt rooftop solar systems.

At Stall No. 93, the organisation is displaying solar panels, inverters, batteries and other related equipment. The exhibits include 200W and 350W solar panels, a 1.7 kW inverter, and batteries of different capacities.

Padakhep entered the renewable energy sector in 2005 and has since implemented several solar power projects, particularly in rural and off-grid areas, in collaboration with IDCOL and government initiatives.

According to the organisation, it installed 36,843 solar energy systems in 10 districts between 2006 and 2018. These included 33,823 Solar Home Systems (SHS) and 3,020 solar streetlights. Instalment-based payment facilities also helped low-income households access solar power.

Over the years, the organisation has expanded the use of solar energy in its own operations. In 2022, it installed a 24.09 kWp grid-connected rooftop solar system at its head office in Dhaka, with an estimated annual electricity generation capacity of 33,000 units.

In April 2026, it also installed four integrated solar power and Energy Storage System (ESS) facilities with a combined capacity of 8.8 kWp in Shibpur and Gaila. The installations serve two residential households, a livestock farm and a mosque-cum-madrasa.

Building on this experience, Padakhep plans to raise awareness of rooftop solar power among its members and beneficiaries under the DRS Programme. It will also identify suitable rooftops and household electricity demand and connect interested consumers with technical services and financing facilities.

Mohammad Rakibul Hasan, joint director of Padakhep, said participation by households, small entrepreneurs and local communities was essential to achieving the country's renewable energy targets.

"Our primary objective in participating in this expo is to use our experience and extensive member network to bring affordable and environment-friendly energy opportunities to more people," he said.

Meanwhile, the expo highlighted the government's special tariff of Tk10.50 per unit for surplus electricity supplied to the national grid from rooftop solar systems.

According to the Power Division, the incentive came into effect on 1 September 2026. Eligible consumers who install qualifying solar systems and begin supplying surplus electricity to the national grid by February 28, 2027, in line with the Net Metering Guidelines 2025, will receive Tk10.50 per unit until 28 February 2030.

The government has clarified that the incentive will apply to both battery-integrated and battery-free solar power systems.