core sector communique

Energy Efficient CFLs to Reduce the Demand for Electricity

Ensuring power supply during the Boro Irrigation Period

 

 

Access to electricity in Bangladesh remains a challenge. Currently only 40 percent of households have access. Power shortages and load shedding are severe, especially in rural areas. Investing in grid electricity alone will not meet the power demand in the country. The government is promoting renewable energy based options for rural electrification and introducing various Demand Side Management measures (DSM) to ease out the power crisis.

As part of the Efficient Lighting Initiatives of Bangladesh (ELIB), the Government of Bangladesh (GOB) will purchase and install approximately 10 million energy efficient compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) in high-demand areas replacing an equivalent number of incandescent lamps. This is expected to reduce the peak electricity demand by about 360 MW.

The replacement of incandescent lamps with CFLs will be free of charge for residential consumers. Each household in the target area will get a maximum of four CFLs in exchange of an equal number of incandescent lamps. Also known as “Energy Saver” lamps, these CFLs consume one-fifth or less electricity and last five to ten times longer than incandescent lamps.

This program will help to reduce load shedding and allow the grid consumers, especially in rural areas, to receive more reliable electricity supply. The Government’s target is to distribute the CFLs by February 2010, before the beginning of the next irrigation season, when the demand for electricity increases. The program would contribute to making more electricity available for running irrigation pumps during the next boro season. The World Bank is supporting the Government to meet their target of distributing the CFLs by February 2010.

Under the US$130 million additional financing for Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Development Project, the World Bank has agreed to provide US$15 million equivalent to procure 10.5 million CFLs, support a systematic distribution system, as well as conduct a comprehensive consumer awareness scheme. The World Bank is also facilitating the process of getting the benefits of carbon financing by seeking payments for the resulting carbon dioxide emission reductions attributed to the avoided electricity generation as a result of large-scale deployment of CFLs.

The Rural Electrification Board (REB) is the implementing agency for procuring the CFLs with the objective to reduce peak demand before the next irrigation season in February 2010. REB is taking necessary steps so that materials could reach the designated warehouses within the country by mid-February 2010.

Government’s own technical specifications committee has come up with stringent specifications for CFLs to be procured under the program so that proper quality of CFLs and timely delivery is ensured. REB has included the provision of testing of CFLs in Efficient Lighting Initiative (ELI) certified test laboratories as well as pre-shipment inspection so that only quality products conforming to GOB’s technical specifications are procured under this program.

The World Bank is a committed partner to GOB in improving the power situation in Bangladesh. The existing projects and the projects in pipeline of the World Bank are aimed at relieving power shortages, and improving rural and urban electricity access and delivery services.