After sales service

of
Solar Home System (SHS) program
under IDCOL in Bangladesh

Md. Ruhul Quddus

Consultant, The World Bank
Solar Home System Program, IDCOL
 Infrastructure Development Company Limited
(IDCOL) SHS Program – at a Glance
IDCOL is a state-owned development financial institution dedicated
to promote/finance infrastructure and renewable energy projects in
Bangladesh
 Program Target : 6 million SHSs by 2018
 Program Achievement : 3.83 million SHSs by September’2015
 Number of Beneficiaries : 17 million people

 Power Generation : About 125 MW

 Fossil Fuel Saving : 273,000 ton/year
 Job Creation : 75,000 people
 IDCOL Investment : About USD 600 million
 SHS installation status

900000 853026
800000 724615
700000 643810 660000 660000 670717
200000
Installation of SHS

600000
500000 468978

400000
325067
300000
200000 169916 386946
100000 37151 69562 103301
11697 20635 27579
0
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Actual Installation Projected Installation

 Service measures requirement for POs
 Components of SHS should be approved by technical standard
committee.
Warranty support against main components. (Panel : 20 years,
Battery : 5 years, Charge controller & LED bulb : 3 years)
Provide after sale maintenance support to households at least five
years.
IDCOL inspectors identify technical problems and POs have to
resolve those problems within two months after reporting.
Otherwise IDCOL deduct all financial support against the systems.
 After sales service of SHS under IDCOL

Customer • Battery service centre at local level

service • Available 3 % battery and 4 % charge controller at branch level
support • Available battery charger, tools at branch level

• Physical inspection by POs and technical inspectors of IDCOL

• Check SHS in every month at the time of installment collection
Technical
support • Train for POs staff & customer
• Provide training manuals, booklets/brochures on SHS system
operation and maintenance to customers

Lodges complain IDCOL Informs PO

Call Centre
Household Takes remedial measure PO
 SHS inspection

Measuring Battery Voltage

Solar Panel Checking Measuring S.G of Battery

Charge Controller Checking Load Checking

 Technical inspection report format
Reporting month: Year :
Particulars PO Name
Number of SHSs inspected
Number of SHSs with problems
Number of SHSs without problems

Types of problems PO Name

Without structure in panel
Wrong panel facing
Low battery water level
Long cable connection
Shading on panel
Battery cell damaged
Faulty charge controller
Connection bypassing charge controller
 Challenges for providing after sales service

 Connection bypassing for overuse

 Unwillingness of installment payment

 Long cable connection

 No standard testing facilities

 Next initiative for improving after sales service
 Introduce dedicated testing lab.
 Bind agreement with suppliers & POs to ensure warranty
& service.
 Promote technical testing kits at field level.
 Introduce prepaid system (synchronizing among battery,
charge controller & panel) for ensuring payment.
 Introduce remote monitoring system so that SHS
performance can be monitor centrally.
Thank you