A scenario on Green Energy based on different dimensions

1.Is green energy really green?

Answer: Green energy is a type of renewable energy which means that it will never run out.
Whether that is wind, solar, hydro, rain, tides, plants, geothermal heat or many of the green
energy sources. Green energy is undoubtedly a cleaner form of energy. As technology has
developed, the ability to implement green energy on a wider scale has improved. We can now
rely on green energy because of its renewability and sustainability. Following decades of carbon
dioxide emissions entering the atmosphere, there have been changes to weather patterns as well
as changes to the behaviors of wildlife and problem with our health. This has all resulted in an
uptake in green energy. For example, solar farms are becoming a common sign in the UK and
even homeowners have the chance to make use of feed in energy tariffs, energy suppliers are
now beginning to recognize the importance of making the switch to green energy because of its
renewability.
Generating energy using old-fashioned techniques creates a lot of gases that are harmful to the
environment contributing to climate change. In contrast, green energy does not present this
problem. As long as the wind continues to blow and sun continues to shine, it will be possible to
generate energy with little or no harmful by-products. The aim of green energy is to eventually
provide a usable and scalable solution traditional energy sources. In 2016 alone, 4.2 million
deaths worldwide were attributed to air pollution. In the generation of energy through wind
turbines or solar, the source of energy is free and in abundance, which makes it far less
damaging. In comparison to older methods of producing energy, the machinery and techniques
are efficient, effective and require very few moving parts for methods used in green energy.
There are little running cost and fewer requirements for manpower to maintain the machinery.
Effectively, green energy is far greener from the source right through the entire process to the
generation of energy. Technological advancements have led to improvements in renewable
energy system. Therefore, the systems are far less likely to face the same problem as traditional
equipment. While the energy is a cleaner, there is a reduction in maintenance, which means that
there is a reduction in harmful things or products. Renewable energy sources such as
hydropower, wind power and solar energy are on the rise as many countries seek sustainable
alternatives to fossil fuels. Human driven climate change is almost certain to cause catastrophic
harm worldwide and the need to utilize green energy and minimize global carbon emissions is
undeniable.
Yet a newly published review of the biodiversity impacts of three types of green energy (hydro,
wind, solar) in “Trends in Ecology and Evolution” warns that, we must still be mindful of the
environmental effects these activities do have and strive to implement them both wisely and
well. Upon closer examination of this green energy sources, it becomes abundantly clear that,
sustainable green energy is must for safer environment. According to the International Energy
agency, green energy or renewables will have the fastest growth in the electricity sector. It’s
forecast that 30% of our energy needs will be met by green energy by 2023. This can’t happen
fast enough to mitigate the damaging environmental impacts of burning coal and other polluting
forms of fossil fuels and nuclear power generation. So, green energy is a game changer. The
generation of cleaner energy releases a fraction of harmful emissions in comparison to that of
other forms of energy. Despite this, the process of manufacturing green energy technology still
relies on damaging energy sources. Regardless, the progress is impressive and it can only get
better. As time goes on, every aspects of the process will improve and will hopefully lead to a
true ‘carbon neutral’ process start to finish whilst serving our energy needs from the different
types of sustainable renewable energy. And that will be better for the environment and our
planet.
So we can say that, green energy is really green but sustainability and technological
advancement must be ensured for the betterment of the atmosphere and for us.

2.Why it is a must for sustainable environmental protection?

Answer: The world is becoming a global village due to the increasing daily requirement of
energy by all population across the world while the earth in its form cannot change. All societies
call for the services of energy to meet basic human needs such as: health, lighting, cooking,
space comfort, mobility and communication and serve as generative process. Securing energy
supply and curbing energy contribution to climate change are the two over-riding challenges to
energy sector on the road to a sustainable future. It is overwhelming to known in today’s world
that 1.4 billion people lack access to electricity, while 85% of them live in rural areas. As a result
of this, the number of rural communities relying on the traditional use of biomass is projected to
rise from 2.7 billion today to 2.8 billion in 2030. The dominance of fossil fuel-based power
generation (coal, oil, gas) and an exponential increase in population for the past decades have led
to a growing demand for energy resulting in global challenges associated with a rapid growth in
carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. A significant climate change has become one of the greatest
challenges of the twenty-first century. Its grave impacts may still be avoided if efforts are made
to transform current energy systems. Renewable or green energy sources hold the key potential
to displace greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel based power generating and thereby
mitigating climate change. Many renewable energy sources are better for the environment than
burning fossil fuels. They produce less pollution which will help to protect the environment and
provide us with cleaner air and water. In wind power energy large wind turbines generate
electricity from the power of the wind.
Presently the term “climate change” is of great interest to the world at large, scientific as well as
political discussions. Climate has been changing since the beginning of creation but what is
alarming is the speed of change in recent years and it may be one of the threats facing the earth.
The growth rate of carbon dioxide has increased over the past 36 years (1979-2014) “averaging
about 1.4 ppm per year before 1995 and 2.0 ppm per year thereafter”( Earth System Research
Laboratory, 2015). The United Nations framework convention on climate change defines climate
change as being attributed directly or indirectly to human activities that alters the composition of
the global atmosphere and which in turn exhibits variability in natural climate observed over
comparable time periods. For more than a decade, the objective of keeping global warming
below 2 degrees Celsius has been a key focus of international climate debate. Since 1850, the
global muse of fossil fuels has increased to dominate energy supply, leading to a rapid growth in
carbon dioxide emissions. Data by the end of 2010 confirmed that, consumption of fossil fuels
accounted for the majority of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, where
concentrations had increased to over 390 ppm (39%) above preindustrial levels. Renewable
technologies are considered as clean sources of energy and optimal use of these resources
decreases environmental impacts, produces minimum secondary waste and are sustainable based
on the current and future economic and social needs. Green or renewable energy technologies
provide an exceptional opportunity for mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions and reducing
global warming through substituting conventional energy sources. So, energy is a requirement in
our everyday life as a way of improving human development leading to economic growth and
productivity and securing healthy environment. But this energy need to be sustainable and
renewable. The return of renewables will help to mitigate from climate change is an excellent
way in order to ensure a sustainable future and bequeath future generations to meet their energy
needs. We should study on how a shift from fossil fuel based energy sources to green energy
sources would help to reduce climate change and its impact.
Finally, we can conclude that green energy is must for sustainable environmental protection
because of its renewability, low damage, low maintenance cost, mitigatable power in case of
climate change, carbon dioxide etc, reduce ability of global warming and for its impact to save
the planet.
Some facts about green energy are given below :-
(a) Half of the electricity in the United States is still generated by burning coal. Burning coal is a
major source of carbon dioxide gas.
(b) A single large wind turbine used instead of burning coal can prevent the emission of 5000
tons of carbon dioxide each year.
(c) In 2008 only around 10% of the world’s energy come from renewable sources.
(d) The United States has around 5% of the world’s population, but consumes 26% of the
world’s energy.
(e) Around 28% of the energy used in the United States is for transportation. As of 2010 there
were around 9 million cars that were capable of using biofuel.
(f) If we could harness the energy from all the sunlight that falls on the Earth on one hour, we
would have enough energy to supply the world for a year.
(g) Around 50% of renewable energy is used to produce electricity.
(h) In some areas we can generate our own renewable energy, like with a solar cell or wind
turbine, and then sell it back to the local energy company.
3.State the sources of green energy with examples for each source.
Answer: Research is going into renewable, non-polluting energy sources is advancing at such a
fast pace that, it is hard to keep track of the many sources of green energy that are now in
development. These sources are described below with examples:
Solar power: The most prevalent type of renewable energy solar power is typically produced
using photovoltaic cells, which capture sunlight and turn it into electricity. A variety of solar
energy technologies are used to convert the sun’s energy and light into heat such as illumination,
hot water, electricity and cooling systems for business and industry. Solar hot water system can
be used to heat buildings by circulating water through flat-plate solar collectors. Mirrored dishes
that are focused to boil water in a conventional steam generator can produce electricity by
concentrating the sun’s heat. Commercial and industrial buildings can also leverage the sun’s
energy for larger scale needs such as ventilation, heating and cooling. Homeowners, business and
government entities can take advantage of the benefits of solar power in many ways: install a
home solar system or commercial solar panels; construct or retrofit a building to incorporate
solar heat water. When most people think of solar alternative energy sources they tend to use
solar power as an example. A number of countries have introduced initiatives to promote the
growth of solar power. The United Kingdom’s ‘Feed-in-tariff’ is one example as is the United
States’ ‘solar investment tax credit’. This energy source is completely renewable and the cost of
installation are outweighed by the money saved in energy bills from traditional suppliers. Since
2008, U.S. installations have grown 35 fold to an estimated 62.5 gigawatts (GW) today. This is
enough capacity to power the equivalent of 12 million average Americans homes. Since the
beginning of 2014, the average cost of solar photovoltaic panels has dropped nearly 50%. A new
analysis by Bloomberg New Energy Finance says that 50% of the world’s energy will come from
solar and wind by 2050. In 2015, wind and solar mad up only 7% of global electricity
generations. BNEF then is proposing that these energy sources will grow by a full order of
magnitude over the next 30 years. This is unprecedented for any other energy technology.
According to the BNEF analysis, building a new solar plant in 2050 will be approximately 71%
cheaper than today, and the cost of a new wind farm will be 58% cheaper. It is worth mentioning
that solar is already extremely cost effective. In many parts of the U.S., it costs less to build a
new solar plant than to continue running a coal or natural gas plant. The consequences of even
cheaper renewables will therefore be dire for fossil fuels: coal is projected to decline to only 11%
of global electricity generation, down from 38% today.
Wind energy: This form of energy generation has become increasingly popular in recent years.
It offers much the same benefits that many other alternative fuel sources do in that it makes use
of a renewable source and generates no waste. Current wind energy installation power roughly
twenty million homes in the United States per year and that number is growing. Most states in
the nation now have some form of wind energy set-up and investment into the technology
continues to grow. However, air flow on the earth’s surface can be used to push turbines with
stronger winds producing more energy. High-altitude sites and areas just offshore, tend to
provide the best conditions for capturing the strongest winds. According to a study published in
the proceedings of the National Academy of Science, a network of land-based,2.5 megawatt
wind turbines in rural areas operating at just 20% of their rated capacity could supply 40 times
the current worldwide consumption of energy. Wind power is becoming increasingly popular for
utility-scale applications. Massive wind farms spanning many square miles can be seen around
the world. Like solar energy, wind power is essentially pollution free and is a growing and
important renewable energy source that supplying electricity to grids around the world. In 2017,
wind farms produced more than 6% of the electricity used in the U.S.
Hydroelectric energy: Hydroelectric methods actually are some of the earliest means of
creating energy, though their use began to decline with the rise of fossil fuels. Hydroelectric
energy carries with it a number of benefits. It is not only a clean source of energy which means it
does not create pollution and the myriad issues that arise from it, but also a renewable energy
source. The dams used in generating hydroelectric power also contribute to flood control and
irrigation techniques. Hydroelectric energy is known as “pumped-storage hydropower” where
water is cycled between lower and upper reservoirs to control electricity generation between time
of low and peak demand. Another type called “run-of-river hydropower”, funnels a portion of
river flows through a channel and does not require a dam. Hydropower plants can range in size
from massive projects such as hoover dam to micro-hydroelectric power systems. Two important
places where hydropower id produced are the hoover dam on the Colorado river and at Niagara
Falls on the border between New York and Canada. Large hydroelectric facilities around the
country contributed 7.5% of the electricity used in the U.S. in 2017. Hydropower does have a
greater environmental impact than some other renewable sources of energy, because they can
change water levels, currents, and migration paths for the fish and other freshwater life. A small
percentage of dams (less than 3% in the United States) are used to generate power. Hydropower
generates about 24% of the world’s and 12% of the US electricity. In the US, hydropower is
produced for an average of 0.85 cents per kilowatt hour (KWh). This is about 50% of the cost of
nuclear, 40% of the cost of fossil fuels, and 25% of the cost of using natural gas. China produces
the most electricity from hydroelectric power, some 856.4 billion kilowatt hours a year- more
than double the amount produced by Brazil in second place and Canada produces 376.7 billion
kilowatt hours a year in third place. Modern hydro turbines can convert as much as 90% of the
available energy into electricity.
Geothermal energy: Earth has a massive energy source contained within it. Heat trapped when
our planet formed, combined with heat generated from radioactive decay in rocks deep beneath
the crust, results in a massive amount of geothermal heat energy. We can capture and use
geothermal energy by using steam from heated water to spin a turbine. In a geothermal spring
system, water is pumped below ground. Once it is heated, it rises back to the surface in the form
of steam and spins a turbine to generate electricity. While still a small part of our energy mix,
geothermal energy is a promising renewable energy source with massive potential for energy
supply. In Iceland, for example, geothermal energy already accounts for 90% of home heating
needs and 25% of electricity needs. In North America alone, there enough energy stored
underground to produce 10 times as much electricity as coal currently does. Most geothermal
energy is produced in four states- California, Nevada, Utah and Hawaii. Today the total installed
capacity of geothermal power plants in the US is 3200 megawatts. That’s the energy equivalent
of three nuclear power plant. The first industrial use of geothermal energy began near Pisa, Italy
in late 18th century.
Biomass: Biomass energy refers to any energy produced from recently living organic matter like
plants or animals. Biomass is a renewable resource because plants can be regrown relatively
quickly, and they grow using renewable energy from the sun. Fuels like ethanol and biodiesel
also come from biomass. Biomass fuels are also considered to be “carbon-neutral” meaning they
don’t put any extra carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This is assumed to be true because, in
principle, as long as new plants are planted and grown whenever plants are harvested and burned
for energy, those new plants will take up the carbon produced by combustion, leading to no extra
carbon added to the atmosphere. Recently living natural materials like wood waste, sawdust and
combustible agricultural wastes can be converted into energy with fewer greenhouse gas
emissions than petroleum based fuel sources. In Bangladesh, traditional biomass as energy
supply source such agricultural resides, wood wastes and animal dung represents 46%, 34% and
20% respectively. From environmental and economic sustainability view point, biomass energy
is an effective energy source for rural population of the country.
Biofuels: Rather than burning biomass to produce energy, sometimes these renewables organic
materials are transformed into fuel. Biofuels provided 2.7% of the world’s fuels for road
transport in 2010, and have the potential to meet more than 25% of the world demand for
transportation fuels by 2050. In the United States biofuels accounted for approximately 7% of
transport fuel consumption as of 2012.
Wave energy: Water again proves itself to be a valuable contributor to green energy fuel sources
with wave energy converters. These hold an advantage over tidal energy sources because they
can be placed in the ocean in various situations and locations. Much like with tidal energy, the
benefits come in the lack of waste produced. It is also more reliable than many other forms of
alternative energy and has enormous potential when used properly. The latest estimates for
European wave energy projects suggest that, the PTO system accounts for 22%, installation 18%,
foundation and mooring 6% and grid connection 5% of the total lifetime project cost (SI Ocean,
2013). Wave energy is used in different areas of the world with abundant wave power resource
include the Western coast of Scotland, Northern Canada, Southern Africa, Australia and the
north western coast of the United States, particularly Alaska.
As the issues that result from the use of traditional fossil fuels become more prominent, green
energy sources that mentioned above are likely to gain future importance. Their benefits alleviate
many of the problem caused by fossil fuel use, particularly when it comes to emissions.
However, the advancement of some of these technologies has been slowed down due to the
amount of investment needed to make them viable. Through combining them all we may be able
to positively affect issues like climate change, pollution and many others.

4.What are the economic benefits of using green energy?

Answer: Green energy brings environmental, social and economic benefits. According to a
recent report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), if we double renewable
energy’s current share in the global energy mix, global gross domestic product would increase by
as much as 1.1% or approximately $1.3 trillion, by 2030.
Green energy provides many direct and indirect economic benefits on both a micro and macro
level, here are some of them:
Job creation: More than 10 million people work in the renewable energy sector worldwide, with
more than 5,00,000 new jobs added in 2017. The sector provides many different types of jobs,
including positions in manufacturing, installation, engineering, sales, marketing and more. Green
energy jobs are expected to continue to grow well into the future. The US Bureau of labor
statistics forecasts that the solar photovoltaic installer occupation will grow by 105% between
2016 and 2026 and that the demand for wind turbine service technicians will grow by 96%
during the same period. That makes the first and second fastest growing jobs in the US.
Landowner income: Renewable energy also provides an additional source of income for rural
landowners and farmers. According to data from the American Wind Energy Association
(AWEA), wind farms in the U.S. provides around $222 million every year to rural landowners
who host wind farms on their property. Farmers can also make money growing crops to be used
as biofuels. Corn ethanol is currently the main avenue by which farmers participate in the energy
sector, but other biofuels are starting to get more attention.
Reduced energy costs Green energy is an excellent way for residential, commercial and
industrial energy customers to save money on their bills. By installing solar panels on our
property, we can generate our own electricity. That theoretically provide us the ability to reduce
our energy bill to zero. According to energy Sage, the average savings by using green energy
range from $10,483 in Washington to $30,523 in Massachusetts.
Increased property value: Installing renewable energy equipment on our property can help us
to increase its value significantly. If we install solar panels on our house, for example, its value
rises by approximately 500 taka that save on energy bills. Homeowners may be able to recoup a
vital amount of the cost of installing their solar modules when they sell their house.
Energy independence: Using more green energy could help a country to achieve energy
independence- that means the ability to meet energy needs domestically, thereby reducing
dependency on foreign nations and susceptibility to changing overseas energy price. Increasing
the amount of green energy in the US could further reduce reliance on foreign oil. Besides, green
energy resources don’t run out. So the country which adopt this green energy system could count
on that independence over the long term.
Stable energy prices: Renewable energy facilities requires a substantial upfront investment, but
after installation they are cost effective in case of operation. Eliminating fuel costs lower the cost
of the electricity produced. It also means the price of electricity isn’t susceptible to changes in
the price of fuels, like it is with natural gas or coal. This surely lead to more stable energy prices
over the long term.
Avoidance of climate impacts: According to a recent report from the Universal Ecological
Fund, climate change has cost the U.S. economy around $240 billion per year over the last 10
years. Another report, The Fourth National Climate Assessment, which was authored by 13
climate scientists from United States federal agencies found that the U.S. economy will contract
by up to 10% by the end of the century if climate change continues at its current pace. These
economic losses are the result of extreme weather events, worsened air quality, rising sea levels
and other problems. Green energy can help to reduce these problems along with providing
economic benefits.
So, Green energy is better for the environment, human wealth, wildlife, and it also has many
positive impacts on a country’s economy. Together, all these benefits create a very compelling
argument for investing more in green energy.

5. Can green energy really fulfill the future energy demands?

Answer: Energy demand is not stable. At some point in time the can be too high, because of grid
disruption and blackouts. Such power outages are very inconvenient for users and can also be
costly to energy providers as they may lose clients to other companies. Global energy demand
projection shows an increasing trend with annual consumption predicted to reach around 778
Etta joule (universally accepted measure of energy) by 2035. This will present major challenges
for the oil and gas industry sector, which is a major producer and consumer of energy. Some oil
and gas production facilities are located in remote areas, which make the supply energy demands
for the facilities a big challenge. On the contrary, onsite renewable based energy generation can
not only improve the sustainability of such processes but also reduce the high cost of fossil fuel
delivery to these sites. This green energy generating process is also applicable to remote mining
industries which heavily rely on diesel generators. Green energy does not contaminate the air or
the water and are derived from renewable sources, which are continually replenished by nature.
These energies may originate directly from the sun such as photoelectric, photochemical and
thermal energy or indirectly from the sun such as hydropower, wind and biomass or derived from
other natural mechanisms such as tidal energy geothermal heat. Available renewable energy
technologies convert these forms of natural energy into four distinct types of unable energy that
can replace conventional fossil fuels: electricity, water and air cooling or heating, transport fuels
and off grid energy areas. To increase energy security, renewable energy will have a significant
share in the future energy mix. For example, the target of 20% of final electricity consumption
from renewables by 2020 has been set for the European Union (EU) members. In 2014, the EU
countries had achieved a 16% share of renewables. There are over 65000 oil and gas fields
around the world, around 33% of which are located off shore. In 2015, the total amount of crude
oil produced and refined globally was 4416 and 4189 million tons respectively. The amount of
energy consumption in the chemical and petrochemical industries in 2015 was 438 million tons
of oil equipment. Oil and gas industries consume refined petroleum products for energy
generation. Not only generating green energy is important but also federal support for energy
storage is significant. Different types of technologies are used to create low-carbon electricity
system. Older facilities use pumped water, while newer systems deploy or use lithium-ion
batteries, But the fundamental goal is always the same: “storing electricity to use later”. Energy
storage can revolutionize how we use energy. It lets us produce green energy when it’s cheapest,
store it and put it back into the electricity grid when needed. Using storage in conjunction with
solar and wind energy helps us to ensure that power is available even when the sun isn’t shining
and the wind is not blowing.
Without any doubt, renewable or green energy is on a roll. Denmark is producing 43% of its
energy from renewable and it aims for 70% by 2020. Germany, at more than 25% now and will
30% soon, is going for 40% to 45% clean power by 2025, 55% to 60% by 2035, and an
incredible 80% by 2050. China, despite many challenges is the world’s leading source of
renewable investment, as well as the largest solar manufacturer. The Solar Energy Industries
Association reports that the solar market in the U.S. grew by 41% in 2013, and it made up 20%
of all new generating capacity in that year. According to Sarbjit Nahal, head of thematic
investing in the global strategy division of Bank of America, and Beijia Ma a principal in the
group suggest that significant changes are needed to advance renewable sources of energy. The
UN’s intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC) said in a late 2014 report, “continued
emission of greenhouse gas will cause further warming and long lasting changes in all
components of the climate system, increasing the likelihood of severe, pervasive and irreversible
impacts”. Because of a 40% increase in demand in energy by 2035, they said, we are “on a
carbon dioxide emissions trajectory consistent with global temperature increases of 2 to 4.5
degrees centigrade, making irreversible climate change a reality”. Modern social system are
goodly dependent on electricity. But for the population growth, electricity generation cost and
limited resources are the cause of ‘power crisis’ in country like Bangladesh. Meeting this
electricity demand of this vast population is not possible only by the government of Bangladesh.
As the electricity is generated through in its conventional role and its maintenance, transmission,
distribution is costly. Most of the rural areas are deprived of electricity in Bangladesh.
Considering the shortage of electricity, environmental hazard and limited resources green energy
is the best alternative for the generation of electricity. For the geographical reason, the possibility
of solar energy is very much suitable. In recent days, it is seen that, there is a dairy farm or
poultry farm in every family for their economic support in rural areas. Everyday these farms
produce a huge number of waste, food waste etc which can be a medium to produce the
electricity. This bio-waste electricity generation is most effective and can more conveniently use
without any barriers in Bangladesh.
To sum up we can say that, green energy can fulfill the future energy demands if appropriate
energy production facilities are provided and suitable energy storage systems are developed.

6. Can fully substitutable brown energy meet the huge need of the large population in
Bangladesh?
Answer: Brown energy is energy that comes from conventional fossil fuels, such as oil or coal.
The combustion from these fuels releases harmful emissions into the environment. So the term
brown energy has been known as energy produced from polluting sources that can’t be
renewable as a contrast to green energy from renewable, non-polluting sources.
I think brown energy will not be able to meet the large need of population in Bangladesh mainly
because of its non-renewability and population density. Brown energy can’t be stored for using
after when it is needed. It also produces greenhouse gases, its by-products cause damage to the
environment and wildlife, costs are also high in generating brown energy, its residual products
are generally non-biodegradable, it produced harmful fume, dust that can cause harm to human
health. The storage capabilities in Bangladesh is not so good as other developing countries.
Besides, the mining of non-renewable energy or brown energy and the by-products they leave
behind cause damage to the environment. There is a matter of fact that, fossil fuels contribute to
global warming. When fossil fuels are burned, nitrous oxide causes photochemical pollution,
sulfur dioxide creates acid rain and greenhouse gases are emitted. In Bangladesh a major
problem of brown energy is the challenge of breaking humans of their habit of leaning on it. The
union of concerned scientists reported that, it is an uphill battle sway consumer that the so called
public goods of renewable energy, such as reducing pollution for everyone may not be enough to
convince them to pay more for green energy. Another problem of brown energy is that it is so
much time consuming. Mining of coal, searching for oil, installing oil drills, building oil rigs,
inserting pipes to extract and the transportation of natural gases are very time consuming
processes and costly in Bangladesh. Sources like coal, oil and natural gases release a large
amount of carbon monoxide when burnt. As a result of the chemicals, they are rapidly destroying
the ozone layer. Not only to other people of Bangladesh but also the workers who are working in
coal mines or oil drills are also in health risk because of these environmental facts. As a result,
there are a large number of diseases, injuries and even deaths. According to the Bangladesh
Power Development Board in July 2018, 90% of the population had access to electricity.
However, per capita energy consumption in Bangladesh is considered low. Bangladesh will need
an estimated 34000 megawatt of power by 2030to sustain its economic growth of over 7%. But
there are some problems in Bangladesh’s power sector includes high system losses, delays in
completion of new plants, low plant efficiency, erratic power supply, electricity theft, blackouts
and shortages of funds for power plant maintenance. Overall, the country’s energy generation
plants have been unable to meet the system and human demand over the past decade. Because
Bangladesh has a very limited energy reserve, small amount of oil, coal and countable natural
gas reserves. The country suffers an internal energy struggle, as about 93% of the country’s
power producing thermal plants are gas based, but gas is also needed for the industrial sector.
Therefore, Bangladesh has to make some compromises between power production and
developing the industrial sector for the reason of non- renewability of brown energy sources like
coal, oil, natural gas, petroleum etc.
After the above discussion I think that, substitutable brown energy will not be able to meet the
huge demand of large population in Bangladesh due to the non-renewability of brown energy
sources and poor social and condition of peoples of Bangladesh. Brown energy sources are non-
renewable because once exhausted they are not easily replenished.
7. What are the future prospects of green energy?
Answer: As green energy has very much sustainability, it has bright possibility to meet the huge
demand of future generation. Developing countries are very much concentrated on adopting new
methods for generating energy from renewable or green sources. Sustainable energy is the
practice of using energy in a way that meets the need of present without compromising the
ability of future generation to meet their own needs. Meeting the world’s needs for energy in a
sustainable way is widely considered to be one of the greatest challenges facing humanity in the
21st century. Worldwide, nearly a billion people lack access to electricity and around 3 billion
people rely on dirty fuels such as wood and animal dung for cooking. Production and
consumption of energy cause around 72% of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions and are a
major contributor to air pollution, which causes an estimated 7 million deaths per year. Proposed
activities for limiting global warming to 1,5 celsius describe rapid implementation of low-
emission method in case of electricity production, using electricity in sectors such as transport
and measures to reduce energy consumption. Achieving this goal will require govt. policies
including carbon pricing and energy-saved policies. At the time of introducing methods of
producing energy, the term “green energy” is often used interchangeably with the term
“renewable energy”. Renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and hydroelectric energy are
widely considered to be sustainable. However, particular renewable energy projects such as
deforestation for producing biofuels can lead to a similar or even worse environment damage
when compared to using fossil fuel energy. But there is controversy over whether nuclear energy
can be considered as sustainable energy. Wind and solar energy produced approximately 4.5% of
worldwide electricity in 2015. That means more initiatives need to be taken to meet the future
energy demand by using green energy resources. Providing sustainable energy is widely viewed
as one of the greatest challenge that is faced by people in the 21 st century, both in terms of
meeting the demand for present and future generation.
Air pollution caused largely by the burning of fuel, kills an estimated 7 million people each year.
The United Nation’s sustainable development goals call for “access to affordable, reliable,
sustainable and modern energy for all” by 2030. Some data about future prospects of green
energy in both nationally and internationally are given below:
 The proportion of energy supplied by renewable sources will increase from 15% in 2020
to 60% in 2050.
 The proportion of energy supplied by biomass increases from 10% to 27%, with effective
controls on whether land use is changed in the growing of biomass.
 The proportion from wind and solar increases from 1.8% to 21%.
 Total electricity consumption is projected to increase to 132 terawatt hours (TWH) by
2035 in Bangladesh, where the total electricity generation from renewable sources is 404
megawatts at present.
 The new target of renewable energy would be 10% of the total electricity generation in
2021 and would increase to 20% by 2030 in Bangladesh.
So, the future prospects of green energy is very much acceptable and is gaining it’s vitality,
that’s why Bill Gates said in 2011 that, “If you gave me the choice among picking the next 10
presidents for my company and ensuring that energy is environmentally friendly and a quarter as
costly, I’d pick the energy thing”.

8. What can be the limitations in the implementation of green energy?

Answer: We all know that Bangladesh is a densely populated country. People in Bangladesh can
not fulfill their basic needs because of this huge population. Besides there are many problems
that make the production of green energy in Bangladesh a matter of thinking. Bangladesh also
has limited brown energy resources to produce the energy for meeting the huge demand of the
people of the country. The problem of skill shortages and dishonest mentality cause the inability
to produce the energy from green sources such as solar, wind hydropower, biomass etc.
Moreover, Bangladesh is a very small country to produce green energy because it needs big
spaces for the production of green energy. Now some data about implementation of green energy
in Bangladesh are given below:
Serial Category Achievement
(2014)
01 Solar home system (3.3 millions) 150 MW
02 Solar system at roof top of govt. or non-govt. building 03 MW
03 Solar system at commercial building and shopping mall 01 MW
04 Solar PV for new connection at roof top of buildings 11 MW
05 Solar irrigation 01 MW
06 Wind based power generation 02 MW
07 Biomass based power generation 01 MW
08 Biogas based power generation 05 MW
09 Hydropower 230 MW
Total 404 MW
Bangladesh is facing some limitations in implementing green energy sector. There major
limitations of this green energy sector may be the reason due to which it can’t be exploited
properly in Bangladesh. One of the major issue is the cost associated with the implementation of
renewable energy. These high cost of investment in renewable energy sector are associated with
the increasing cost of import of various necessary equipment as Bangladesh has no capacity to
develop new solar energy equipment based on its own production. Due to high cost, the
renewable energy technology price remains high for the poorer community in Bangladesh, which
is unaffordable for most of them.
Another major issue is the lack of information about renewable energy and problems related to
accessing past data from reliable and reputable sources. This is a very important requirement for
research and development work of renewable or green energy technology. There is also the
problem of limited knowledge regarding costs and benefits of the different categories of
technologies available for contributing to renewable based energy services. Lack of awareness,
technology and knowledge about renewable technology is also one of the major issues. People
living at the rural areas are the ones who mainly go through such problems. Lack of systematic
monitoring and evaluation along with inadequate experience obstructs the creation of policies to
back up the renewable sector development of Bangladesh. Owners are not properly trained in the
management of RETs. Hence, there is a need of proper training in this sector. A greater number
of people should be thought to maintain and control the RETs suitably with the aid of extended
training program. Availability for green energy sources are extremely site specific. It depends
upon a detailed analysis of conditions which are matched with regional requirements. Some
renewable energy sources are dependent on climate change. For example, hydropower is only
suitable for sites with large volumes of flowing water. Decreased rainfall, due to climate change,
would reduce the electricity available in Bangladesh.
Investment allocated to this sector is too low to have any impact. Weak regulatory incentives
have been unsuccessful in encouraging private sector investment in renewable energy. Till now,
most of the wind energy programs and projects have been sponsored by the government and
foreign donors. Fiscal incentive policies are needed to encourage and support the private sectors
for investment purpose in Bangladesh.
The above mentioned things are the main limitation to produce green energy in Bangladesh for
meeting the huge demand of the country’s people, obtaining economic growth, increasing living
standards, motivating private sector to invest and overall ensuring a sustainable growth for future
generation.

9. State the disadvantages of using green energy?

Answer: Renewable energy has many benefits, it’s not always sunny when it comes to
renewable energy. Here are some disadvantages in using green energy over traditional fuel
sources:
Higher upfront cost: The green energy technologies are more expensive upfront than traditional
energy generators. Setting up renewable energy generation facilities requires a huge financial
outlay, installation of wind turbine, solar panel and hydroelectric plants are relatively expensive.
These plants require upfront investment to build, have high maintenance expenses and require
careful planning and implementation. Also the electricity generated needs to be delivered to
towns and cities, which means additional cost of installing power lines. From an industry
standard point, the life time cost of renewable energy are still nearly double that of what has been
called conventional energy. The lifetime cost of coal, for example, is just 9.5 cents per kilowatt
hour. The cost of offshore wind, one of the cheapest renewable energy sources, is 15.8 cents per
kilowatt hour. One of the pricing factors that is often excluded from the conversation on
renewable energy is the storage cost. We must store the energy collected or we will lose it, which
means having a battery installed. The overall storage cost for the energy is about 9 cents per
kilowatt hour, but the cost of the battery is upfront. That means $10,000 to $25000 upon
installation just for batteries. At this moment the capital cost of installing non-renewable energy
resources are lower than the capital cost of renewable energy.
Intermittency: Though renewable resources are available around the world, many of these
resources are not available 24/7, year-round. Some days may be windier than others, the sun
doesn’t shine at night, and drought may occur for periods of time. There can be unpredictable
weather events that disrupt these technologies. Fossil fuels are not intermittent and can be turned
on or off at any given time.
Storage capabilities: Because of the intermittency of some renewable energy sources, there’s a
high need for energy storage. While there are storage technologies available today, they can be
expensive, especially for large renewable energy plants. It’s worth nothing that, energy storage
capacity is growing as the technology progresses, and batteries are becoming more affordable as
time goes on.
Geographic limitations: The United States has a diverse geography with varying climates,
topographies, vegetation and more. This create a beautiful melting pot of landscapes but also
means that there are some geographies that are more suitable for renewable technologies than
others. For example, a large firm with open space may be a great place for a residential wind
turbine or a solar energy system, while a townhome in a city covered in shade from taller
buildings wouldn’t be able reap the benefits of either technology on their property.
Electricity generation capacity isn’t large enough: There are challenges to generation of large
quantities of power in renewable energy technology compared to traditional forms of energy
generation like fossil fuel. Fossil fuel still produces large quantities of electricity today, by far.
These essentially means that it can’t be solely rely upon to power the whole nation. This means
that either we need to set up more such facilities to match up with the growing demand or look
out for ways to reduce our energy consumption.
Renewable energy can be unreliable: Renewable energy technologies totally depend on the
weather to be able to harness any energy. In case atmospheric conditions are not good enough,
renewable energy technologies would lack the ability to generate any electricity. This might
instigate campaigns by the authorities to reduce energy usage in order to serve the population for
a longer period.
Low-efficiency levels: Renewable energy technologies are still significantly new to the market,
meaning they still lack the much needed efficiency. This poses forecast problems and investors
may demotivate for investing their money for fear of not getting expected returns.
Not every form of renewable energy is commercially viable: Many forms of renewable
energy must be collected at a specific location, which means distribution network must be setup
to take advantage of the power that can be generated. These networks requires a massive fossil
fuel investment that can take generations to neutralize with the use of renewable energy. From
the tidal power to geothermal, the commercial viability of many renewable energy resources is
not available right now.
Pollution is still generated with renewable energy: Renewable energy are cleaner than most
fossil fuels but “cleaner” and “clean” are very different terms. A resource like biomass still burns
waste products and put pollution into the atmosphere. This includes carbon and methane, which
are classified as greenhouse gases. The technologies and facilities are used to build renewable
energy resources require fossil fuels, as do the transportation and distribution networks. In many
instances, renewable energy relies on fossil fuels, whereas fossil fuels do not rely on renewables.
Renewables often require subsidies to make them affordable: In the United States, an
emphasizes on biofuels and renewable energies led to the creation of ethanol as a crude oil
replacement. Despite taxpayer funded subsidies in place for this corn-based fuels, only 4,30,000
barrels per day were produced in 2007. That was enough to replace 2% of the oil that was being
consumed while corn prices skyrocketed because of the crops being funneled into this renewable
fuel.
It may not be a permanent energy resource: The environment evolves over time, shifting
where renewable resources become available. Some locations, such as offshore wind or tidal
energy, are generally quite reliable. Solar energy however can be difficult to predict. Geothermal
energy may change over time. Billions of dollars can be spent to develop renewable energy
resources only to have that money go to waste if that resource stops producing as expected.
It can often be manipulated by politics: Although renewable energy is generally accepted as
the future of energy production globally. Politics can be a negative influence on its development.
If renewables are not given a political priority, then the industry tends to falter, and innovation is
reduced in favor of non-renewables options. Because politics tends to go in cycles, renewables
tend to see 4-8 years of growth, then 4-8 years of stagnation. The stops and starts make it
difficult to create a thriving industry.
It can take a lot of space to install: Using current solar energy generation technologies, it takes
over 40 hectares of panels to generate about 20 megawatts of energy. In comparison, a nuclear
power plant of average size generates about 1000 megawatts of energy on 259 hectares. If given
the same amount of space, a solar energy facility would produce less than 200 megawatts. For
land based wind energy, a 2-megawatt turbine requires 1.5 acres of space. If given the same
amount of space as a nuclear facility, even it would only generate a maximum of about 850
megawatts.
After discussing these above disadvantages we can say that, renewable or green energy has
positive outweigh over negatives. Taking necessary steps to come round from these problems
can not only save money on personal, corporate, governmental level but also help to promote a
cleaner, healthier environment for the future.

10. Did Bangladesh government take any step in moving towards green energy?
Answer: Bangladesh has a mere amount of non-renewable resources of its own. To meet the
growing need of energy of the country, major portion of the fossil fuel consumed has to be
imported from abroad. Among the indigenous fuel resources, the country has become
increasingly dependent on natural gas. The structure of the consumption over the years has got to
be ‘Mono-fuel’ dependent. With the looming exhaustibility of the non-renewable energy sources
and the rapidly growing energy demand, the policy makers of the country in various policies and
institutional arrangements have shifted their focus to renewable energy sources. It is expected
that the renewable energy options like solar-power, wind-power, hydro-power and biomass will
be essentially useful to increase the accessibility to energy and power for all the socio economic
sections of the country. According to the approved renewable energy policy, the Government of
Bangladesh is devoted to facilitating in both public and private sectors in renewable energy
projects to substitute contemporaneous non-renewable energy resources and to escalate the
contribution of renewable energy based electricity generation. In Bangladesh there are many
natural resources such as coal, gas and petroleum. The main source of energy in Bangladesh is
natural gas (24%) which is likely to depleted by the year 2020. The government issued its
prospects and policies assertion in February 2000 with the plan to provide electricity service to
the entire country by the year 2020. At present, total electricity generation capacity is 15,351
MW as of February 2017 and this energy sector is increasing day by day. To meet the cumulative
demand of electricity, coal, gas, diesel etc. based power generation methods are being used.
However, this is not sufficient. The government and non-government organizations are working
both independently and jointly to promulgate renewable energy technologies throughout the
nation as reported in the extant literature. Therefore, prospective planning comprehensive
understanding of this dynamic field require continuous assessment. Moreover, the progression as
well as regression in this sector should be continually scrutinized. A plan has been initiated by
the Government of Bangladesh to generate 5% of the total energy from green energy resources
within 2015 and 20% by the year 2020. At present, 404 MW is being generated from renewable
energy sources. Solar home system is a success story in Bangladesh and day by day its
popularity is increasing in the rural areas, especially in the off-grid regions.
The contribution of renewable energy is at a very low level (0.01% of total energy generated).
Major part is solar energy which are mostly in off-grid. The incremental contribution of
hydropower, as per plan is rather discouraging. A guideline has been prepared by SREDA
(Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority) for on-grid solar energy through
net metering system. There is little possibility to generate 10% of total electricity through
renewables by 2020 as per PSMP (Power System Master Plan) 2016 and 2000MW of solar
power by 2021. A private firm set up solar plant for producing 28 megawatts (MW) and will feed
20MW to the local substation during sunlight hours. The government signed a deal to buy power
from a joint venture company (a Japanese and a local firm) to purchase 5 MW power from a
grid-tied PV solar power plant project to be set up in Gwainghat, Sylhet. The Power Division is
now waiting for a positive note from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) about its financing to
implement a 50MW floating solar project in the Kaptai Lake.
Electricity generation plan from Renewable energy source (MW)
Technology Achievement up to 2016 2018 2019 2020 2021 Total
Solar 200 350 250 300 250 1470
Wind 2.9 150 350 300 300 1153
Biomass 0 6 6 6 6 30
Biogas 5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 7
Hydro 230 1 1 2 2 236
Total 437.9 507.5 607.5 608.5 558.5 2896
Source: SREDA (Retrieved on 9 March 2019)

Renewable Energy Generation Capacity (MW)

Technology
Off-Grid On-Grid Total
Solar 291.12 47.53 338.65
Wind 2 0.9 2.9
Hydro - 230 230
Biogas to Electricity 0.68 - 0.68
Biomass to Electricity 0.4 - 0.4
Total 294.2 278.43 572.63
Source: SREDA (Retrieved on 9 March 2019)
Future demand for power and energy needs to be addressed based on the master plan. For
example- the frequent deviation from the plan weakens confidence on government’s plans.
Efficiency in electricity use needs to be improved as per the plan. A proper plan is required in the
use of subsidy; similarly providing fiscal incentives to particular companies need to be justified.
The possible debt burden due to setting up costlier power plants as well as meeting the huge
import bill for import of raw materials for power plants needs to be taken into account. The
governance in the power and energy sector institutions needs to be strengthened further. For this,
irregularities and corruption in different corporations and associated companies need to be
controlled and more transparency is expected in case of signing contracts at local and
international level. Prior attempts to develop renewable energy in Bangladesh have met with
limited success due to policy, institutional, financing, market, information, technical and human
resource barriers. This policy intends to reduce these barriers and provide a sound and
sustainable implementation framework to tap the renewable energy potential of Bangladesh.
Private capital investment for implementing the renewable energy is a major issue to be
considered. This policy envisages accomplishment of its objectives by mobilizing a concerted
national effort with the continued co-operation and commitment of government, international
organizations bilateral and multilateral funding institutions, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs),
Community Based Organizations (CBOs), Nongovernment Organizations (NGOs), research
organizations, universities and private sector etc. It has become increasingly clear that for the
development of renewable energy, the funding windows of non-government and private sources
as well as financial and development institutions should be augmented. Furthermore, innovative
new financing opportunities including micro-financing may be utilized to attract private capital
to supplement the energy deficiencies in the rural areas and thus to fulfill the aspiration of the
poor people. Government of Bangladesh has taken necessary steps in developing the process of
generating energy from green or renewable energy sources. These steps are given below:
Government policy: Government of Bangladesh has declared National Energy Policy (NEP) in
the year 1996 covering renewable energy. The major objectives of the NEP are:
 To provide energy for sustainable economic growth so that the economic development
activities of different sectors are not constrained due to shortage of energy.
 To meet the energy needs of different zones of the country and of different socio-
economic groups.
 To ensure optimum development of all the indigenous energy sources (e.g. commercial
fuels, biomass fuels, and other renewable energy sources).
 To ensure sustainable operation of the energy utilities
 To ensure rational use of total energy sources.
 To ensure environmentally sound sustainable energy development programs causing
minimum damage to environment.
 To encourage public and private sector participation in the development and
management of the energy sector.
To encourage private sector participation in the development of power sector Govt. declared
some fiscal incentive through “Private Sector Power Generation Policy of Bangladesh in 1996.
In order to translate these policy objective into actual investment projects government has taken
keen interest to finalize and declared a Renewable Policy. To accelerate the growth of renewable
energy sector of the country, NEP has recommended to establish Renewable Energy
Development Agency (REDA). Until REDA is formed Power Cell will carry out all primary and
initial works related to development of renewable energy.
Responsibilities of Renewable Energy Development Agency (REDA):
The REDA will act as a focal point in the renewable energy sector of Bangladesh and represent
Government at international institutions related to development of renewable energy. Its
responsibilities are given below:
 Take concrete steps to remove policy, institutional, financing, market, information,
technical and human resource barriers existing in the renewable energy sector of the
country.
 Identify and assess the potential of establishment of renewable energy projects which
could make a significant contribution to energy needs both in short and long term.
 Establish a Renewable Energy Trust Fund to finance renewable energy projects and
Research and Development (R&D) activities.
 To collect concessional funds (like GEF, CDM, PCF) from bilateral or multilateral
lenders for renewable energy projects which will be implemented through CBOs, NGOs
and rural energy entrepreneurs.
 Will articulate and co-ordinate in implementing the renewable energy projects and assist
the Board of Investment (BOI) to promote and facilitate foreign and local investment in
this sector.
 Formulate financing and delivery mechanism to increase the affordability of renewable
energy systems for the rural poor.
 Improve access to basic health care for poor people in the un-electrified areas through the
provision of renewable energy systems in health clinics and promote the use of renewable
energy in vaccine and immunization programs.
 Improve the quality of education in the un-electrified areas through the provision of
renewable energy systems in schools.
 Promote the use of renewable energy to facilitate access to safe drinking water.
 Establish renewable energy powered Information and Communication Technologies
(ICT) center in the off-grid areas.
 Work closely with local government bodies to include provision of energy in different
infrastructure projects including rural markets, cyclone shelters, schools, health clinics,
government offices and training centers.
 Encourage CBOs, NGOs, rural energy entrepreneurs and private sector organizations in
development of renewable energy and facilitate the institutional requirements for
successful implementation of these projects.
 Arrange required training programs for capacity building and technology transfer needed
to support commercialization of renewable energy technologies (RETs).
 Work closely with Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institute (BSTI) to prepare
Standardization and Testing practices of different renewable energy technologies
components for quality assurance.
 Launch a Geographic Information System (GIS) based renewable energy resource
database.
 To monitor and evaluate RETs projects of the country and to maintain web-based
Database for wide-spread dissemination.
 To publish renewable energy related leaflets, posters, periodicals, journals, best practice
guides and books.
 Establish Renewable Energy Dissemination Parks in major cities of the country for
awareness enhancement.
Financing Arrangements:
Government of Bangladesh (GOB) is a signatory to the climate change convention. REDA will
establish a revolving Renewable Energy Trust Fund with grants from Global Environmental
Facility (GEF) and other climate change abatement funds to support renewable energy projects
in Bangladesh. GOB may allocate funds to a few designated banks for financing the capital
investment required for renewable energy projects.
To facilitate the creation and encouragement of a corporate debt securities market essential for
raising local financing for renewable energy projects, the following provisions will be allowed:
 Permission to renewable energy companies to issue Corporate Bonds both bearer and
registered with the consent of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
 Permission to issue shares at discounted prices up to the limit of 10% of the face value to
enable venture capitalists to be provided higher rates of return proportionate to the risks.
 Permission to foreign banks to underwrite the issue of shares and bonds by the private
power companies with the recognition by SEC of such underwriting.
 Tax facilities for private sector instruments as available to Non-Banking Financial
Institutions.
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA): It would be absolutely necessary to carryout
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to establish any renewable energy project and
clearance from the Department of Environment would also be needed. The project proponent
must follow “Bangladesh Environmental Conservation Act’ 95” and “Environmental
Conservation Rules’ 97”.
Facilities and Incentives for foreign investors: The following facilities and incentives would
be provided to private sponsors:
 Tax exemption on royalties, technical know how and technical assistance fees and
facilities for their repatriation.
 Tax exemption on interest on foreign loans.
 Tax exemption on capital gains from transfer of shares by the investing company.
 Avoidance of double taxation in case of foreign investors on the basis of bilateral
agreements.
 Exemption of income tax for up to three years for the expatriate personnel employed
under the approved industry.
 Remittance of up to 50% of salary of the foreigners employed in Bangladesh and
facilities for repatriation of their savings and retirement benefits at the time of their
return.
 No restrictions on issuance of work permits to project related foreign nationals and
employees.
 Facilities for repatriation of invested capital, profits and dividends.
 TAKA, the national currency, would be convertible for international payments in current
account.
 Re-investment of remittable dividend to be treated as new foreign investment.
  Foreign owned companies duly registered in Bangladesh will be on the same footing as
locally owned companies with regard to borrowing facilities.
From the experience of the last two decades, we can say that renewable energy such as solar
energy become very familiar and accepted by the people of Bangladesh. Proper planning and
implementation of a sustainable technological, financial and socially accepted business model
articulated through Bangladesh’s solar mission, strong government policy, proper investment
policy for investors, ensuring affordable technologies and quality products, and strong research
and development will gradually transform the nation towards 100% renewable energy.
If all these things are ensured, we can dream of Bangladesh to become the first solar nation by
2041.

11.How business sector can respond to the crucial need of green energy?
Answer: World energy consumption is continuing to rise, and global power generation is
responsible for more pollution than any other single activity. Virtually all regions of the world
have renewable energy sources, and businesses need to become leaders in the renewable energy
movement, in order to preserve our environment for generations to come. The importance of our
environment should not be overlooked, and the potential benefits of thinking sustainably are
quantifiable. The importance of our environment should not be overlooked, and the potential
benefits of thinking sustainably are quantifiable. Conducting a literature review will help
determine if there has been an increase in companies implementing sustainable business
practices, as well as establish their opportunities for growth and profit. A small survey of 20
questions, completed by 22 local businesses across Lincoln (luxury vehicles company in
America) , will help determine the company’s knowledge and interest levels of implementing a
renewable energy project, and what they feel are the main advantages and disadvantages of
doing so. Renewable energy is seen as the most important instrument to mitigate climate change
and reduce the negative effects of energy production. Consumers are rewarding businesses that
address environmental concern and are punishing those that don’t. Companies that think about
friendly environment are generally more innovative and profitable than its competitors. 100% of
the businesses surveyed believe that renewable energy is reliable and beneficial for the
environment. Only 14% of the respondents were very interested in implementing a project, while
82% agree that they feel there are advantages to using renewables over traditional methods. 95%
of the participants feel that there is a marketing advantage with renewables, yet 50% do not think
that it could draw new customers to their business. Solar energy is the most popular form of
renewable energy amongst the respondents. At present, the world is facing energy crisis that
effects the world environmentally, economically and socio-politically.
Responding to environmental problems has always been a no win proposition for managers,
reported by Noah Walley and Bradley Whitehead in “It’s Not Easy Being Green” (May-June
1994) Helping the environment by hurting business or irreparably harming business while
protecting the earth is not good for sustainable growth. However, a new common wisdom has
emerged that promises the ultimate reconciliation of environmental and economic concern. In
this new world, both business and the environment can win. Being green is no longer a cost of
doing business; it is a catalyst for innovation, new market opportunity and wealth creation. The
idea that a renewed interest in environmental management will result in increased profitability
for business has widespread appeal. In a new green world, managers might redesign a product so
that it uses are fewer environmentally harmful or resource-depleting raw materials- an effort that,
if successful could result in cuts in direct manufacturing costs and inventory savings. This new
vision sounds great, yet it is highly unrealistic. Environmental cost is skyrocketing at most
companies, with little chance of economic success.
Richard A. Clarke the chairman and chief executive officer of Pacific Gas and Electric
Company, San Francisco, California said that, “the idea about the reconciliation of economic and
environmental concerns is oversimplified, and I agree with Noah Walley and Bradley Whitehead
that this kind of discourse can create unrealistic expectations. But reconciliation is not a choice.
A strong global economy is sustainable only if it integrates economic, social and environmental
well-being. Here at Pacific Gas and Electric, we have installed energy efficient lighting, heating
and cooling systems in the new federal building in Oakland, resulting in annual cost savings of
$6,00,000 and environmental payoffs that come from savings nearly 6 million kilowatt hours of
energy each year. Among the many pollution prevention measures, we are implementing the
recycling of materials we use- electric conductors, transformers, plastic gas pipe-with cost
savings of several million dollars a year. It is the fact that economic forces at work in industry
are making it more difficult to integrate environmental excellence into a business strategy. We
need a farsighted program and innovative, creative solutions to address the environmental
challenge. We need a comprehensive forward looking approach in which current barriers and
disincentives are removed; and fiscal, economic, environmental and industrial policies are
integrated and made mutually supportive”. Environmental managers would welcome a world in
which they could search exclusively for win-win solutions. In reality, however, they concentrate
on ensuring compliance with current environmental regulations, remediating environmental
problems caused by past operations and anticipating the impact of proposed regulations. The
optimistic tone of today’s corporate environmental movement reflects manager’s desire to give
its stockholders a unifying vision for a complex array of environmental initiative by using green
energy Nevertheless, senior managers of different companies are fully aware that many
compliance and remediation efforts won’t increase- but will protect shareholder value. They
know that any serious discussion about gaining competitive advantage from environmental
issues must emphasize future possibilities. In the late 1880’s and early 1990’s, companies were
able to make easy but often very significant improvements in areas such as emissions reductions.
Depending on that belief, it is assuming that it will be also easy for future generation to reduce
emissions which is unrealistic from some environmental and economic reason.
Instead of these problems, there has been a major growth in businesses using sustainable
strategies. This has resulted in more and more companies becoming “green” as time moves
forward, and is setting the pace for other companies to follow. Instead of focusing mainly on
environmental costs and risks, or corporate responsibility, more and more companies have come
to see opportunities for growth and profit through a focus on environmental sustainability.
Businesses are realizing the potential benefits from implementing sustainable practices and the
advantages it gives them over their competitors. Media is playing a vital role in the growth of
companies becoming green, by increasing employees and customers concern. Stakeholders
around the world are hearing the green message and are becoming confident that the green
economy will have a lasting effect. Over the last three decades there has been a growing concern
amongst consumers about whether the earth’s resources will continue to sustain the standard of
living that is enjoyed by most Americans. Energy consumption is continuing to rise, and
worldwide power generation is responsible for more pollution than any other single activity.
Americans are beginning to recognize the link between energy use and environmental
degradation. This has led to a growing segment of consumers either rewarding or intending to
reward organizations that address environmental concerns in their business and marketing
practices, and punishing firms that ignore environmental imperatives. Corporate strategies are
increasingly becoming influenced by consumer concerns for the environment, and businesses are
now trying to become more environmentally aware, while remaining profitable. Renewable
energy appears to be one of the most efficient and effective solutions. Corporations using
renewable energy have realized that they get “the best of both worlds,” because they see an
economic benefit of implementing these projects by lowering their energy costs, and the benefits
of “green” marketing. The environmental impacts are also a bonus for everyone. Solar energy
emits roughly 98 grams of carbon dioxide per kilowatt-hour, while coal, the most widely used
energy generation practice, emits 955 grams, or about ten times than that of solar. Geothermal,
wind, hydroelectric, and energy crops generate even less than solar. Renewable energies are seen
as the most important instrument to mitigate climate change and reduce negative effects of
energy production. The business world and the natural world is solutions. Corporations using
renewable energy have realized that they get “the best of both worlds,” because they see an
economic benefit of implementing these projects by lowering their energy costs, and the benefits
of “green” marketing. The environmental impacts are also a bonus for everyone. Solar energy
emits roughly 98 grams of carbon dioxide per kilowatt-hour, while coal, the most widely used
energy generation practice, emits 955 grams, or about ten times than that of solar. Geothermal,
wind, hydroelectric, and energy crops generate even less than solar. Renewable energies are seen
as the most important instrument to mitigate climate change and reduce negative effects of
energy production. The business world and the natural world are inevitably linked, and smart
businesses are beginning to realize this. Companies that bring an environmental lens to their
business strategy are generally more innovative and profitable than their competitors.
Environmentally friendly and modern energy technologies are essential to economic,
environmental and social development- the three pillars of sustainable development. Making
these technologies affordable and accessible for people at the bottom of the income pyramid
provides enormous potential to stimulate inclusive and sustainable growth for developing
countries like Bangladesh. Sustainable energy such as solar home system offers significant
economic benefits for micro, small and medium size enterprises, which can be broadly divided
into two categories: (a) after-sales services offered by these enterprises, and (b) the purchase and
use of solar home system to improve their business prospects. The impact of solar home system
on companies located in rural areas of Bangladesh can be observed on many levels. For instance,
food stalls are able to stay open late, and operators of mobile phone both can serve more clients
in the evening, thereby increasing their business income. The Infrastructure Development
Limited Company Limited (IDCOL) program has also had a significant impact on generating
local jobs in manufacturing and after-sales services, and in training local technicians, Except for
the photovoltaic panel, all other solar home system (SHS) components are produced
domestically which provide employment for technicians and for many- mainly female workers in
factories, located in rural and urban centers that produce charge controllers and solar lamps.
Grameen Shakti alone reports that a total of 46 Grameen technology centers have been set up for
local manufacturing of solar home system components, thus creating a green industry and jobs.
Close to 17000 technicians have been trained, 1000 of whom are female. The Rural Service
Foundation also provides training on the basic maintenance and safety of SHSs- representatives
take solar demonstration kits around villages to show people the benefits of owning SHSs.
The cost of generating and transmitting power in the modern age despite all the technological
advancements are staggering. When renewable energy is compared with existing fuel-based
energy sources, the economic benefit is prospectively and considerably narrow. Hence the major
challenge relating to the renewable energy is the difficulties in anchoring the investment in the
industry. In any case the bankers and financial investors seem to have a lack of confidence to
make required speculation about the renewable industry. Additionally, the long process of
granting bank loan for renewable energy demotivates the participants to engage in business. In
this manner the Government of Bangladesh needs to build up a worthwhile, practical and
controllable subsidize legal, regulatory and political instrument for renewable energy projects.
Because of the absence of such instruments, both the financial specialists and industry players
consider it monetarily not lucrative to invest in the RES activities and advancements.
Consequently, lack of coordination and non-responsive attitude on the part of the administration
decreases the chances of prospective foreign or local investments on RE projects. Other project
motivators such as tax incentives, research funding or any other technological support from the
part of the government can bring down the expense of RE innovation. European nations have
embraced such sponsorships and motivating forces as a major aspect of their advanced
techniques to build such a complex industry like RE. Financial help, dedicated lessons and
embracing the RE experts to create a comprehensive RE study syllabus for universities, colleges
and even for schools might catalyze the discourse about advancement, exhibition and systematic
awareness rising campaigns related to sustainable energy source and green innovation.
Achieving the goals of sustainable and greener development of energy infrastructure in
Bangladesh is constrained by several issues in terms of the development and frameworks. A
practical breakthrough is necessary to surmount the high upfront costs borne by developing a
fresh market to let the renewable energy market growth. This will have the effect of scaling up
the renewable sector and drives down the cost of technology. In order for Bangladesh to make
headway in building a low carbon society, legal instruments on RE are in dire need of
institutional patronage to ensure level playing fields for all key players of the market such as
stakeholders and the general public. Since it is undeniable that energy is the key antecedent for
wide-scale development in country like Bangladesh ensuring this development is sustainable and
counters inequality and remains inclusive for all segments of the population is equally relevant.
The government agencies are not only the ones who should make efforts. The private sector
should also be more corporate, socially responsible and make compromises by accepting longer
payback periods in renewable energy projects.
Each business should consider its impact on nature and make changes in the name of cleanliness
and efficiency. Renewable energies have a significant role to play in future. The good news is,
there’s minimal downside to this investment because it is getting cheaper day by day. Plus, the
benefits can be enormous. Different ways in which business sector can respond to the crucial
need of green energy are given below:
Generating clean heat: A range of business activities require massive amounts of heat to do
essential work including pulp and paper. Mineral processing, metalwork, agriculture and food
processing. The instability of fuel prices along with calls to divest from fossil fuel, means
business entities that rely on heat generation have a strong incentive to switch to renewables.
Researchers from the Barbara Hardy Research Institute at the University of South Australia
believe they’ve found that alternative of using energy. To achieve temperatures as high as 1,292
degree Fahrenheit in a manufacturing setting, they propose electricity generated from renewable
sources to store heat on demand. Chambers will contain rocks and phase change materials that
release heat when they change from solid to liquid. System like this deliver zero emissions
performance, use basic industrial components and require little training for employees to operate
successfully.
Greening manufacturing enterprises: Solar panels are what most people picture when they
think of green energy. This power source has seen an average growth rate of 50% each year for
the last decade. The demand for electricity among business locations will only grow over time.
The application for solar power at industrial locations are almost too numerous to name. One
report revealed that electricity accounts for roughly 20% of total energy use in manufacturing.
It’s used for the production of aluminum, equipment, lighting and cooling. Manufacturing,
fabrication and distribution environments can offload a considerable amount of their energy
expenditure to renewable energies. Opportunities include lighting and climate control system,
material heating and cooling processes and chemical and petrochemical refinement systems. One
of the rallying cries right now as the world looking to renewables is to “electrify everything”. It’s
not merely a reference to tying our home into solar cooperatives and feeding crowd-sourced
clean energy back into municipal grids. It’s also a crucial step forward for every industry. Major
manufacturing apparatuses, even assets like industrial cooling towers require a constant flow of
electrical energy to function, moving materials, regular monitoring and testing and much more.
Investing in green on-site power technologies will go a long way in saving energy and money.
Cutting expenses for schools and nonprofits: The education and nonprofits sectors are
industries in their own right and they have a lot to gain by using renewables to slash operating
budgets. Education doesn’t always receive top billing as a political priority. Since every dollar
counts and because clean energy is getting more affordable, green energies are one of the most
obvious solutions to tight budgets. Programs like Grow Solar and Neighborhood Solar seek to
connect schools, nonprofits and other community locations with solar panels and wind farm
installations to meet electricity and budgetary requirements. Business entities can introduce some
campaign program in different schools and nonprofit organizations to create awareness about the
benefits of going green as a part of their social responsibilities. They can also train their social
responsibility department’s employees on how to motivate people of different regions to use
green energy sources in their social, economic, personal life to keep the environment sound and
healthy. In the case of Grow Solar, sponsored by Missouri Botanical Garden’s Earthways Center,
the program signed contract with 17 organizations for a total savings of around 1,68,000 pounds
of carbon dioxide. They also saved Missouri organizations from burning around 83,000 pounds
of coal in power plants. Schools, research institutes, grocery co-operations, charities, credit
unions and more can benefits from green energy just like profit-focused businesses. However,
they don’t always have the same purchasing power. So, programs like Grow Solar and
Neighborhood Solar which emphasize group buying opportunities, are vital. Through them,
green energy companies regularly install solar panels and wind turbines at no cost. Well- chosen
sites can feed energy back into the grid. Besides, helping nonprofits organizations implement
renewable energy in bulk is a positive step for sustainable future.
Looking forward: Fossil fuels and incumbent energy providers look backward. However,
renewable energy is about looking forward. If you need proof that renewables are the future,
consider the fact that they’re increasingly instrumental in powering data centers efficiently and
affordably. Beyond solar and wind, there are biomass systems. Biomass is not as cost-effective,
mature as solar and wind, but it too is an important part of renewable energy portfolios. In the
right place such as on farms, lumber mills and other industrial locations where organic waste is
part of the business activities, biomass systems can facilitate the generation of electricity or serve
to generate heat all at a low cost to the operator and to serve the planet. Feedstock can include
waste from lumber processing, agricultural waste like corn and rice byproducts, manure and
other types of farm or municipal solid waste. Overall, green energy has a vast number of
applications in business sector. Business entities have to utilize these green energy sources in
case of producing energy so that a competitive advantage for each firm, sustainable future and
usage of environment friendly energy to mitigate from carbon dioxide and other harmful
emissions are ensured. As more organizations get on board, the lower costs and added incentives
will become more attractive.
After discussing the different dimensions of green energy, we can conclude that, green energy is
imperative to pursue any type of development, and for attaining sustainable and all-inclusive
development. In addition, creating a friendly green climate for the future remains a challenge for
every country, not particularly for Bangladesh. To mitigate climate degradation and to achieve
the SDG goals, Bangladesh should lead its energy sector into renewable sources. Providing an
equitable opportunity to its citizens and to promote inclusive development in the social,
economic sector, choosing green or renewable energy is one of the most strategic options that
Bangladesh has in its hand now. So, Bangladesh should grave this opportunity for sustainable
development and sustainable future.