One of the country’s leading industrial groups, DBL Group, has installed solar power generation units with a combined capacity of 5.5MW on the rooftops of seven of its garment and textile factories. It also plans to install 16MW of solar power capacity at 10 more factories, including ceramic and garment factories. Of this, 8MW is expected to come into operation this year and the rest next year.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, DBL Group Vice Chairman MA Rahim said, “We are investing rapidly in solar power because of energy security concerns at our various establishments and pressure from foreign buyers to reduce carbon emissions. With new technologies, solar power installation now takes less time than before. The cost of rooftop solar power at our factories is Tk 6 to Tk 6.50 per unit.”

Like DBL Group, big industrial groups are now rapidly turning to solar power. Solar power installation began a decade ago under government policies and pressure from foreign buyers to reduce carbon emissions. As the energy crisis has intensified and fuel prices have continued to rise, large industrial groups have increased their investment in solar power over the past three years.