Solar home system: A feasible solution to the energy crisis in Bangladesh

Bangladesh is on the verge of facing energy crisis. According to the article 16.1 of Bangladesh Constitution fifty five percent of Bangladesh's inhabitants live without electricity, and the grid expansion rate to connect rural areas is threatened by the looming capacity shortage. It has very limited nonrenewable energy resources of its own. It is facing energy crisisand serious desertification problem in rural areas. These issues could be removed if renewable energy is used as aprimary source of energy in rural areas. Bangladesh is endowed with plentiful supply of renewable sources of energy. Renewable energy like solar, wind, hydro can help to make electricity accessible to the isolated rural people as well as for low power demand. Out of the various renewable sources, solar is the most suitable form for Bangladesh. The solar home systems are now profitably and increasingly used for meeting the needs of electricity in remote and difficult areas in developed countries as well as in many developing countries. Potentiality of SHSs to reduce the present energy crisis in Bangladesh has been discussed in this paper. © (2012) Trans Tech Publications.