Waste-to-energy dream on hold for decade

Although over a decade has elapsed since at least four city corporations took ambitious initiatives to convert solid waste into electricity in a crucial solution for the country’s growing municipal waste problem, none have yet achieved success.

While the projects of Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC), Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) and Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) have faltered, a 42.5 MW plant spearheaded by Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) offers a glimmer of hope.

NCC, GCC, DSCC initiatives crumble

The NCC planned a 6 MW plant on 10 acres of land at Jhalkuri under Siddhirganj in line with a proposal from a Bangladesh-China consortium, UD Environmental Equipment Technology Company Limited, Everbright Environmental Technology Equipment (Changzhou) Limited and SABS Syndicate Limited of Bangladesh.

The consortium later registered as UD Green Energy (Bangladesh) Company Limited.

On 21 March 2018, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) and the NCC.

Subsequent agreements for power purchase, implementation, land use and waste supply were signed by September 2022 with the aim of generating 6 MW of electricity by processing 600 tonnes of waste daily.

On 1 February 2023, 10 acres of land were handed over by the NCC for the project, but the Chinese company did not take any steps though it was supposed to complete commercial operation within 455 days of the financial closure.

On 7 August 2023, as per the agreement, the BPDB issued a “Notice of Intent to Terminate”, but UD Green Energy did not respond to it. Later, the BPDB cancelled the agreement and took necessary action as per the law and rules.

Talking to the Daily Sun, an urban planner who handles waste management issues at NCC, Md Moinul Islam, said they were negotiating with another Chinese firm over their proposal.

Similarly, the GCC’s 42.5 MW project, aiming to incinerate 3,000 tonnes of waste daily with investment from Chinese company Canves Environmental Investment Company Limited (CEIC), also collapsed. The BPDB received allegations questioning the legitimacy of CEIC, suggesting it was an impostor using the name of the established Chinese firm Canves, with its managing director allegedly operating unlawfully.

Talking to the Daily Sun, former GCC urban planner Sanjida Hoque said with the fall of the Awami League government, the initiative lost momentum as the company has disappeared since the interim government took over.

She further claimed that despite concerns over the company’s credentials, the former LGRD minister had been in favour of proceeding, but the subsequent political shift sealed the project’s fate.

The DSCC in 2014 also planned a 30-acre waste-to-energy plant to produce 42.5 MW of electricity by processing 3,000 tonnes of waste daily, and it received proposals from at least 12 foreign firms to this end.

DSCC superintending engineer Md Sufi Ullah Siddik Bhuyan, who also handles Matuail Landfill, said they also selected Canves Environmental Investment Company Limited as their private partner in 2019, but when the question arose over their legal existence, the selection was cancelled.

“Now we are thinking about floating a new expression of interest for a new private partner. We are going to do it very soon,” he said.

DNCC project offers lone ray of hope

The only waste-to-energy initiative currently showing signs of progress is DNCC’s 42.5 MW project in Aminbazar of Savar.

This plant, slated to incinerate 3,000 tonnes of solid waste daily with investment from China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) on 30 acres of land, has

On 30 November 2021, four agreements were signed on land use, waste supply, production and purchase of electricity.

While the physical plant has yet to be fully realised, there is optimism as CMEC has reportedly moved its machinery to the site and received initial environmental clearance from the Department of Environment (DoE) to commence full-scale construction.

Sources said work halted for a long time as the issue of maintaining a standard temperature for the combustion chambers of the plant remained hanging.

Talking to the Daily Sun, the DNCC superintending engineer and focal point officer to facilitate the project, SM Shafiqur Rahman, said, “We have handed 30 acres of land to CMEC in May 2024. However, the company proceeded with their construction works as they have yet to get clearance from the Department of Environment. We have settled the issue recently and hope that they will get the clearance soon.”

Talking to the Daily Sun on 15 April, DoE Director Md Ziaul Haque explained the prolonged clearance process, stating that it had been under review for the past one and a half years and is now in its final stage.

He emphasised the serious consideration given to potential toxic emissions and public health impacts, necessitating a detailed evaluation.

Ziaul said the Solid Waste Management Rules 2021 have provisions that the minimum temperature for primary and secondary combustion chambers of the plant is required to be 850 degrees Celsius and 1000 degrees Celsius, but the technical proposal of the company said they have only one chamber with 850 degrees Celsius.

He stressed the potential risks in densely populated Dhaka if waste combustion does not occur at the required temperatures, explaining the careful assessment of the potential impact of lowering the standard.