The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

First ever solar-powered irrigation pump launched yesterday at Kaishar Char in Savar that will save 760MW of electricity and 800m litter of diesel in a year.

Channel I Director Shaikh Siraj and Rahimafrooz Renewable Energy Ltd Chairman Niaz Rahim jointly inaugurated solar-powered irrigation pump.

Rahimafrooz has introduced the solar-power irrigation system through converting a 10HP diesel-run irrigation pump on solar power.

The system will save 760MW of electricity and 800 million litre of diesel per year if the conventional power and diesel-run irrigation pumps are converted on solar power, speakers at inaugural function said.

Chairman of Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC)Dr Nazmul Hossain, German Technical Co-operation (GTZ) senior adviser Khurshid-ul-Islam and Program Coordinator of (GTZ) Erich Otto Gomm were present in the programme.

It is a lifetime project with one single major investment as solar panels, the major part of the system is warranted for 20 years, Niaz Rahim said.

Around 500,000 households are already enjoying the comfort solar home systems designed by Rahimafrooz, he said.

Such projects will also earn significant CDM benefits from world carbon trading market as such schemes are completely emission free, he hoped.

As the initial investment of solar irrigation systems are still not affordable by a single farmer, the government to take such projects through BADC, REB, LGED, PDB to initiate solar-based irrigation scheme.