Bangladesh has successfully connected its first floating commercial solar power plant to the national grid. Nestled in the Chapainawabganj district, 302 km northwest of Dhaka, the Joules Nawab Floating solar plant marks a pioneering venture that leverages a human-made pond, previously utilized solely for fish farming.
The innovative project features numerous solar panels mounted on specially designed floating platforms covering an expansive area of 22,000 square meters. This intersection of food and energy—referred to as the food-energy nexus—exemplifies sustainable development practices. The solar panels generate electricity for a local mill and contribute clean energy to the national grid without compromising fish farming activities.
Bangladeshi State Minister for Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid shared the milestone on his verified Facebook account, emphasizing the dual benefits of “Fish and electricity [being] available from the same reservoir.” The authorities intend to closely monitor the impact on the reservoir’s ecosystem over the next few months, with plans to replicate the initiative on a larger scale if successful.
The floating solar power plant boasts a production capacity of 2.30 megawatts, requiring an investment of approximately $1.5 million. Key components, including floaters, solar panels, and inverters, are sourced from Chinese Sungrow, JA Solar, and German SMA Solar Technology, respectively.
Md Mizanur Rahman, an engineer for Joules Power Ltd. (JPL), highlighted the dual usage of the electricity generated. “The electricity generated here is being used by Nawab Auto Rice Mill, and whatever is left over is being added to the national grid.”
With a total of 3,700 solar panels, including 1,500 floating units, the project aims to ensure minimal impact on fish farming. Abdul Momin, an administrative officer of Nawab Group, attested to the absence of any discernible harm to fish or the environment, emphasizing the project’s sustainable coexistence with aquaculture.