The government expects to addmore 1400 megawatt of electricity from 28 under-construction solar projects in Bangladesh by 2025, said State Minister for Power and Energy Nasrul Hamid.

He said this at the Energy Transition Council (ETC)’s ministerial meeting held virtually on Tuesday.

“Currently, almost 3.5 percent of our total electricity generation is from renewable energy. Of that 900 MW, more thanhalf of electricity is being generated from solar,” he said.

“As many as eight utility-scale solar power plants have gone into operation by now having a capacity of 230.23 MW,”Nasrul Hamid added.

In future, the cumulative capacity of 28 under construction utility-scale solarprojects will be around 1400 MW by 2025, he said.

He informed that a staggering 6.02 million systems had been installed providing clean electricity to 12 percent of the country’s population.

“In addition, we have net-metered rooftop solar systems, generating 42 MW of electricity,” he said, adding “we have solar irrigation pumps and 0.3 million solar street lights.”

NasrulHamid said Bangladesh is focusing on providing quality, reliable and cleanenergy to its people.

“In the area of coal and fossil fuel transition, we are delighted to declare that, in accordance with ETC’s mandate, the government has already abandoned the plansof building 10 coal-based power plants,”the state minister for power said.

“We are working on a 230 MW capacityhydropower plant and a 2.9 MW wind power plant and a 1.09 MW (off-grid)biogas and biomass plant,” he added.

“Offshore wind energy will also be considered by us as we have putemphasis on it in our Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan,” Nasrul Hamid said.

He hoped that the EV Charging Guidelinesto decarbonise the transport sector will encourage people to use more electricvehicles.