Govt Targets 20pc Renewable Electricity by 2030: Amit

The government has set a target of generating at least 20 percent of the country’s total electricity from renewable sources by 2030, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Aninda Islam Amit told Parliament on Tuesday.

He said rooftop solar is expected to contribute 5,500 megawatts and ground-mounted solar 4,500 megawatts, while wind, waste-to-energy, hydropower, floating solar and agrivoltaic technologies are projected to add another 450-550 megawatts.

Replying to a notice calling attention to matters of urgent public importance moved by reserved-seat MP Helen Jerin Khan, Amit outlined the government’s renewable energy roadmap.

He said electricity demand could reach 24,000-25,000 megawatts by 2030 if the current pace of economic growth and industrialisation continues.

To reduce dependence on imported fuel amid rising demand, the government has prepared the National Renewable Energy Development Strategy 2026-2030, which aims to raise the share of renewable electricity to at least 30 percent by 2040.

To lower the cost of solar projects, the government has provided tax relief on imports of panels, inverters, batteries and related equipment, reducing the duty to 1 percent. A six-month special exemption for commercial importers also covers customs duty, regulatory duty, supplementary duty, VAT, advance tax and advance income tax.

To encourage investment in small-scale solar projects, surplus electricity can now be supplied to the national grid, with the government purchasing each unit at Tk10.50, he said.

Regarding land availability, Amit said around 60,000 acres of unused government land had initially been identified, with roughly 30,000 acres earmarked for solar projects after review. The land will be allocated to investors by the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority under public-private partnership arrangements.

He also said a 460-megawatt solar project is being planned at Rampal instead of a second coal-fired unit, following the Prime Minister’s advice and concerns over the Sundarbans and local communities.

A 70-megawatt solar project is also planned on unused ash-pond land at the Matarbari coal-fired power plant site, he said.

Solar installations are being rolled out on government building rooftops as well. In Feni, 23 buildings of the Local Government Division are being equipped with rooftop solar systems, which are expected to be inaugurated during the Prime Minister’s visit to the district on September 17.

The state minister said the government also sees small-scale solar projects as a source of new entrepreneurship, particularly for young people, and is discussing easy-term financing with Bangladesh Bank and development partners.

He added that discussions are underway with investors on wheeling and cross-subsidy charges for large renewable energy projects, alongside recently introduced policies, including the Renewable Energy Policy 2025, Net Metering Guidelines 2025 and National Rooftop Solar Programme 2025.