Small Scale PV Integration in Bangladesh: Opportunities, Challenges, and Recommendation

In the early 2000s, the Bangladesh government introduced nano and micro-scale photovoltaic (PV) systems in remote areas. As the power sector continues to grow, these nano-scale PV systems are becoming economically impractical. Additionally, the existing PV market policies are not sufficiently attractive to the mass population for installing small-scale PV systems known as SHS through private initiatives. This study aims to replicate the current SHS policies and pricing, assess the obstacles, and evaluate the economic viability of the current SHS system. Load profiles of three consumers are constructed and utilized to evaluate the economic feasibility of the existing system. Furthermore, various renewable-friendly policies, incentives, and net metering are applied to explore the economic viability of a modified system. The REopt tool is used to verify the economic feasibility, employing three hypothetical scenarios to assess the effectiveness of these policies and strategies in making SHS more appealing to the general population. Residential and small business load profiles are simulated using REopt. The findings of this research indicate that the implementation of net metering, combined with appropriate financial policies, can enhance the attractiveness of SHS to the mass population. These results provide valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders to shape future initiatives and promote the widespread adoption of small-scale PV systems in Bangladesh.