Experts call for stronger monitoring, coordinated action to advance renewable energy

Speakers said at a discussion in Dhaka on Saturday that stronger air pollution control measures, reduced dependence on fossil fuels, and accelerated adoption of renewable energy are essential to improving air quality and building a clean, safe, and sustainable energy system.

The discussion, titled “Renewables Now: Renewable Energy to Combat Air Pollution,” was held at the Shafiqul Kabir Auditorium of the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) as part of the special campaign “Renewables Now”.

The event was jointly organised by Dhoritri Rokhhay Amra (DHORA), Stamford University Bangladesh, and 35 other civic and social organisations, bringing together 37 organisations to discuss the potential of renewable energy in addressing air pollution and the transition away from fossil fuels.

The session was chaired by Mosammat Mahmuda Parvin, associate professor and chairperson of the Department of Environmental Science at Stamford University Bangladesh. Professor Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder, dean of the Faculty of Science at Stamford University Bangladesh, moderated the discussion and presented the keynote paper.

Professor Sharif Nafees As-Saber, vice-chancellor of Stamford University Bangladesh, attended as the chief guest.

Special Guest Mohammad Ziaul Haque, a former director of the Department of Environment, also attended. Designated discussants included ATM Nurul Amin, professor emeritus at the Asian Institute of Technology and professor in the Department of Environmental Science and Management at North South University, and Roufa Khanam, deputy director of the Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Research at BRAC University, among others.

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Professor Sharif Nafees As-Saber emphasised the importance of identifying the sources of pollution and raising public awareness to develop effective solutions. He stressed that domestic technologies should be prioritised while also drawing on relevant international technologies and expertise.

In his keynote presentation, Professor Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder highlighted a critical challenge facing renewable energy development: air pollution is reducing the performance of solar panels, undermining efforts to expand clean energy.

Findings from a joint study by Stamford University Bangladesh and Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP), completed in 2026, showed that dust accumulation can reduce solar panel performance by 12–15%.

The study also found that cleaning panels increased power output by an average of 12%, underscoring the need for effective maintenance alongside the expansion of solar power.

Following his keynote presentation, Professor Majumder put forward three demands: accelerating the 3,000-megawatt industrial rooftop solar programme and implementing the decision to fully withdraw import duties on solar equipment; introducing data-driven, robotic or AI-based automated solar panel cleaning systems in industrial facilities; and ensuring strict, real-time monitoring of pollution emissions from industrial zones and coal-fired power plants.

ATM Nurul Amin called for a stronger focus on quality of life, rather than living standards alone. He emphasised that trees, rivers, water, and a clean natural environment are essential to human well-being and highlighted the need for behavioral change and urban planning that reduces dependence on cars by bringing workplaces and residential areas closer together.

Mosammat Mahmuda Parvin said air pollution is no longer merely an environmental concern but a major threat to public health and the future of coming generations. She stressed that sustainable development and green industrialisation are essential to addressing the crisis.

Mohammad Ziaul Haque noted that air pollution is not only harming public health but also directly obstructing the expansion of renewable energy. Dust pollution reduces solar panel efficiency and increases the cost of maintaining solar installations. He stressed that effective implementation of existing plans remains a major challenge.

Roufa Khanam highlighted the contradiction between investing in solar energy and allowing pollution from sources such as open waste burning to undermine its effectiveness. She emphasised that installing solar panels alone is not enough; proper maintenance, community awareness, and coordinated action among relevant stakeholders are also essential.

The discussion concluded with a call for stronger public awareness, effective pollution control, improved air quality monitoring, and coordinated action to unlock the full potential of renewable energy in Bangladesh.