The Bangladesh Export Import Company Limited (Beximco) says it will build the country's largest solar power plant with 280 MW DC capacity, after the company secured a go-ahead from the federal government.
The 280 MW DC/200 MW AC solar PV plant will be built by Beximco Power Company Limited and TBEA Xinjiang SunOasis Company Limited from China through a joint venture called Teesta Solar Limited (TSL). The $294.5 million facility will be located in Sundarganj in Gaibandha district's Rangpur division. A power purchase agreement (PPA) with the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) for the entire project is for a tariff of $0.15 per kWh (see PPA For 200 MW PV Plant In Bangladesh).
It will be an agrivoltaic facility since the company said site where the 200 MW AC project will be installed will see appropriate crops as onions, garlic and low growing crops will be planted as turmeric under and between the panels. TSL is currently getting a feasibility study done by an agricultural consultant for crop suitability to this land.
Beximco is already constructing a 45 MW DC/30 MW AC solar project through Korotoa Solar Limited (KSL), a joint venture between Beximco Power and China's Jiangsu Zhongtian Technology Co. Ltd. (ZTT). Back in February 2020, BPDB signed a power purchase agreement with KSL for the facility located in at Shekhgach in Panchagarh district's Tetulia region in Rangpur division for a tariff of $0.139 per kWh (see Bangladesh Signs PPA For 30 MW Solar PV Plant).
The 30 MW AC facility is to cost an investment of $48.14 million, and will also be an agrivoltaic project. Beximco is financing the projects through proceeds generated through its Green Sukuk bonds worth BDT 30 billion.
Both the facilities are being built by a consortium of EPC firms Rays Power Infra, Zetwerk Business Manufacturing and SgurrEnergy India. Rays Power and Zetwork will provide operation and maintenance (O&M) services for the projects for the initial 5 years after the projects are commissioned.
A company with its roots in textile industry, Beximco is a diversified business house and draws confidence to invest in solar energy from the fact that Bangladesh aims to have 24 GW of power generation capacity in the country by 2021.