Local manufacturers of solar panel have urged the government to impose import duty on finished solar panel and to enforce users for country-made solar panel. While sharing with the journalists of national dailies at the East Coast Centre, at Gulshan, local manufacturers of solar panel said that the market is swamped with low quality Chinese solar panel.
China is selling its panel at a very low price due to its huge stockpile as the US has imposed anti-dumping rule on Chinese solar panel.
They said Bangladesh has now become a dumping ground of Chinese panel. Therefore, the government should look into this matter seriously and help local manufacturers to strengthen its capacity to tackle power shortage in the country.
Moshiur Rahman, Chairman of Parasol Energy Limited said Bangladesh is producing European Standard solar panel.
Despite, the industry worth Tk 250 crores, is struggling for survival because of low-rated and low quality Chinese panel. China is giving 17 per cent incentive on export.
Mr Rahman said that the solar panel’s minimum life-time is 20-25 years but within one or two years the imported panels are started losing its power. Some panels even do not have any valid certificate.
Tanjil Chowdury, Managing Director of Radiant Alliance Limited said that the Indian government has already banned import of Poly and Mono Crystalline panel, and will stop importing solar cell by 2013.
Bangladesh should also ban importing finished solar panel by 2014. The government should make it mandatory to use local solar panel like neighboring India for the sake of its own industrial growth and for creating new jobs, he added.
Mr Chowdhury also proposed for an active Regulatory Body for Renewable Energy sector.
Engineer Ansar Uddin, Managing Director of Electro Solar Power Limited said that the existing six manufacturers have capacity to produce 100 MW solar powers, which can be increased with further investment.
He said, finished solar panel is enjoying duty free access but the manufacturers are paying high duty for importing raw materials to produce the panel locally.
Sabbir Chowdhury, Managing Director of Shouro Bangla Limited said, “Only 14 items have so far been included in SRO. Therefore, for the rest items like Aluminum frame, back sheet, front sheet, ethylene vinyl acetate, connector ribbon busbar, film PV are claiming high duty.
Golam Baki Masud, Managing Director of Greenfinity Energy Limited said some dishonest traders are putting 120-150 Watt Pick sticker on 80-100 watt pick panel.
He said DPDC, DESCO, BSTI, BUET, Dhaka University, EDCO- none have testing facilities or lab.
The Real Estate companies have unethical agreement with the engineers of DPDC, DESCO. Their main objective is to get power connection therefore installing solar panel is nothing but eye-wash, he said.
AK Azad, Managing Director of AVA Renewable Energy Limited said, real estate companies are even installing hired panel which are being removed after getting load sanction letter from DPDC. “It’s really funny that the DPDC/DESCO officials are using tapes to measure capacity of a solar panel”.
The manufacturers urged the government to make the Green Loan easy for them. Government should also consider Carbon Fund for the local manufacturers. They said that the World Bank and JICA have planned to produce 450-500 MW solar power by 2014. Therefore, the government should reduce import dependency and strengthen local factories.Read more
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