Detailed Profile (BGEF)

After registering on January 28, 2010 as Bright Green Energy Foundation (BGEF) we started our operation from February 15, 2010. In this period of our operation, we have achieved tremendous growth: Installed over 1,45,000 Solar Home Systems (December 2014) in Bangladesh off-grid areas through 307 rural branches under eleven (11) Zonal offices and in near future this number is expected to grow 4000 SHS installations per month. At present BGEF has over 1500 skilled employees. Increased per staff productivity and efficiency to 5.5 systems per month.

Our Vision :

Bangladesh as one of the First Solar Nations in the World, with 75 million of its people empowered through renewable energy, a role model for 1.2 billion energy starved people around the World. Our Founder and Chairman, Mr. Dipal Chandra Barua is a passionate believer in solar energy for its potential to take Bangladesh forward, and make Bangladesh one of the first "Solar Nations" in the world, with half of our people enjoying the benefit of renewable energy by the year 2020.

Promotion and designing of innovative products which will meet the needs of rural clients. This include promotion of small Solar Home Systems for low income households , micro-utility model or mini grids for sharing one Solar Home System and special system design for facilitating income generation.

Tapping new market through promoting Solar PV technology in rural schools , clinics , offices , market places as well as for rural telecommunication.

Assembling and repair of solar accessories through village based women solar technicians and entrepreneurs.

Promotion and marketing of Solar PV technology through women entrepreneurs at the village level.

These women who come from poor, disadvantaged families will find decent jobs right at their villages and will be able to contribute toward their family income, especially meeting the education and health needs of the children .This will create a positive social force at the village level for the promotion of renewable energy technologies.

Tapping into local entrepreneurs forces to localize, expand and make its programs more flexible to the needs of the rural clients.

Organization of village events such as School Children exposure programs, Science Fairs, workshops for the effective promotion of Solar PV technology.

Ushering In The Green Century :

We can be proud that Bangladesh has a world class Solar PV (Photovoltaic) technology dissemination model that has effectively demonstrated that the solar energy applications can be scaled up massivelyand rapidly to provide an affordable and climate friendly energy option for the rural people.

Almost 4 million Solar Home Systems (SHS) have been installed by all partners of IDCOL; benefitting over 10 million rural people, with over 60,000 systems installed per month, and this number will double and triple within the next 2-3 years under the leadership and inspiration of Mr. Barua. With all partners of IDCOL together, and if the proper support is available from the government sector, Bangladesh have the capacity and demand to install 7.5 million Solar System by 2020.

At the current growth rate of Solar Home Systems, we expect that power generated by the photovoltaic cells will exceed 500 MW within the next few years and 1000 MW by 2020. It is the high time to seriously consider the potential of solar and other renewable energy technologies in Bangladesh and BGEF is working toward achieving the target.

We are over-dependent on gas. Once we thought, Bangladesh is floating on gas, but no additional gas field has been discovered within last few years resulting in frequent power failure and no dependable energy source to fuel the power plants. Currently (2012) the daily average electricity output totals around 5,000 MW against the demand of 8,500 MW, leaving a supply deficit of 2,700 MW and rising every day. The demand for power could well rise to 20,000 MW by 2020. Bangladesh has to find alternatives to fulfil the demand for electricity as quickly as possible.

Creating New Value Proposition: The Leap Forward :

We believe that green technologies can protect Bangladesh and at the same time contribute towards its socio-economic development. We want to develop Bangladesh as a success story, showing what can be done with renewable in a developing country, and take this success to other developing countries, as source of inspiration where 1.6 billion energy starved people remain in the dark around the world.

Increased aspirations, failure of grid electricity, growing machination and disposable income have created huge potential for solar energy in rural areas. Bangladesh government has set a target of reaching all with electricity by 2020. Momentum has been created for solar power which our rural people have accepted whole –heartedly. Solar & other renewable are in a position to play a very important role to complement government efforts to take electricity to all by 2020.

It is easily possible to add 300 mega watt (MW) through solar energy by 2020, if we take the right fiscal and regulatory initiatives. Despite the growing numbers and huge demand, our success has been limited to individual Solar Home Systems and covers only a tiny portion of potential market. We are yet to reach the penetration rate of mobile phones or televisions which have reached over 59% share of the rural market.