SRE has installed 2.6kWp stand alone SHS in 35 houses of Baliadangi village in Thakurgaon district and 1.7kWp SHS to a cluster village in Sherpur. The interventions have improved quality of livelihood of the villagers. They can now watch National TV/radio broadcast and integrate them with the social welfare, health, sanitation, education and family planning programme. Installation of 225Wp solar lighting system has increased tourism facilitates at Goznee resort, in Sherpur. The first 1.8 kWp centralized solar power supply unit at Gangutia growth center has promoted income generating activities of 50 shop keepers and extended their evening time business hours. This has also created enthusiasm and awareness among the buyers, general public and local market management committee. Similar market electrification facility has been sought by the politicians to the other off-grid markets. The 5kWp centralized A/C solar power unit at Chokoria, Cox’s Bazar was the mile stone intervention of mini grid system in our country. The project is now entrusted to the beneficiaries for ownership development and sustainable operation and maintenance of the unit. Seventy two families have been directly benefited from the system. Village women can now put extra effort for earning after the dusk. The students also get uninterrupted study hours at the evening. The 1.5kWp solar powered rural health clinic at Kamarul is another bright example of improving medical facilities of about thirty thousand people of that community. For instance major operation such as cesarean, gallbladder stone, appendicitis surgical facilities are now available at that health centre.  600Wp Solar PV demonstration at the Amabaria Union Parishad, Kushtia provided effective governance at the grass  roots level. 375Wp solar PV improves IT facilities at Kutubdia LGED Office. Besides that SRE has installed 10 kW pilot wind-Solar hybrid power generation units at the St. Martin’s Island. This intervention has a significant impact to promote eco-tourism and conservation of bio-diversity in the island. Beauty of wind-solar hybrid is that generally when wind speed is high solar irradiation is low and vice versa. Again there are considerable amount of wind speed at night when no solar irradiation at all. Therefore we could store energy in a battery bank and use it when needed. The first SPV pumping project was installed at the ‘Barind’ region of Rajshahi division. This system has 6kWp solar PV consequently it could lift about fifty thousand liters of water per day from an average depth of fifty meters. Moreover renewable energy interventions at Nijampur Matsha khamar unvail opportunity of public-private partnership.

One of the major barriers of adopting SHS is its high upfront cost. About eighty percent of its cost is due to the price of PV module and the battery. In that case, if size of the system is reduced by providing LED instead of DC fluorescent lamp, price of the system could be significantly cut down to  affordable limit. To address this intervention SRE has installed five hundred LED based home systems. Some of the system appliances were DC LED lamp and some of them were LED lantern. Before wide dissemination of this new design the project will be closely monitored by some NGOs. If successful, those LED based solar home system would be a land mark to foster solar home lighting system.

In short, solar energy interventions replace fossil fuel and directly reduces considerable amount of green house gasses eventually keep our environment healthy. The installations were entrusted to the beneficiaries for proper operation and maintenance. This help to build a sense of ownership and technology transfer.

Wind Energy: In order to harness wind power it is very important to have reliable wind data for a consecutive period of at least four years. To keep it in mind SRE, with collaboration of BUET have installed twenty wind monitoring stations throughout the country. Wind data are now being taken by GIS unit of LGED. Ultimate objective of this project is to produce Wind Energy Resource Mapping of Bangladesh. Meanwhile SRE has installed some low cut-in speed wind mill to lift ground water and seven small wind turbines at the St. Martin’s Island. Each of the turbines has 3.2kW capacity at a rated wind speed of 10.5m/s.

Biomass Energy: SRE has installed 10kW power generation unit which was based on poultry litter. Excess gas from this unit is being used for cooking purpose at the Faridpur Muslim Mission. There are huge replication potential of such type of bio-energy in our country. Demonstration of 3.5kW cow dung based power generation unit at Netrokona district created enthusiasm among the small scale farmers. Besides that SRE has also installed two biogas units one at Kutubdia and the other at Kishoregonj which were based on human excreta. This type of interventions created better health and sanitation facilities as well as energy requirement for cooking and lighting. Furthermore SRE has installed one pilot biomass gasifier at Faridpur Muslim Mission. This gasifier could save up to 50% fuel wood.

Micro Hydro Energy: SRE has successfully demonstrated first micro-hydro power unit at Bamerchara, Chittagong. Its installed capacity was 10kW but due to inadequate water head about 4kW power was generated. SRE has also carried out a study on prospective micro-hydro sites in the Chittagong Hill Tract reasons and eight potential sites were identified with an estimated capacity of 135kW. SRE also provided technical support to promote indigenous micro-hydro power generation unit which was developed by member of local indigenous community named Mr. Aung Thui Khoyan.

B) Capacity Building and Technology Transfer: 

Total 1545 person days training were provided to the LGED officials, technical professionals and the beneficiaries. In addition to that one fellowship at the post graduate level and five overseas short courses/ workshops were also supported by SRE.

C) Publications and dissemination of RETs:

SRE has created mass public awareness about renewable energy technologies by participating in the national exhibitions, distributing of brochures and news letters. About 25,000 copies of brochures, 7500 copies circulation of Bangladesh Renewable Energy Newsletter (BREN) were distributed during the project period. Besides that SRE has organized seven national and one international workshop.

Finally we could conclude by saying that SRE has achieved its target to successfully create public awareness and dissemination of renewable energy technologies in Bangladesh.

Brief description of renewable energy intervention by Sustainable Rural Energy is given below: