Database
Grameen Shakti (GS)
Grameen Shakti (GS), a member of the Grameen family, incorporated in 1996, as a not for profit company, to promote, develop and popularize renewable energy technologies in the remote rural areas of Bangladesh. At present, GS has about 500 engineers and 1000 field staffs, serving more than 800,000 beneficiaries through its 280 unit offices, 42 regional offices and 5 division offices. By now, GS installed nearly 310,992( June 2010 ). solar home systems of size 10kw-75kw Grameen Shakti has taken a massive program for the coming years. They are aiming to install more 1 million solar home systems, 1 million biogas plants and 10 million improved cook stoves by the year 2015. To see the program a success, GS are developing more skilled manpower through training and capacity building. GS has so far trained up about 500 engineers and 600 field staffs on solar PV technology, 50 engineers, 120 field staffs and more than 300 masons on biogas technology For its contribution towards popularizing solar technology, GS has won several international awards such as The Energy Globe Award, 2002 from Austria, “European Solar Prize Award”, 2003 from Germany, “Best Theme Award”, 2003 from USAID and “Solar Prize” ,2004 from a government own company and “ Best Organization Award” , 2005 from the Prime Minister of Bangladesh. In 2006 , GS received Ashden Award from UK. Even, I myself also received European Solar Prize” 2006 from Euro Solar , Germany for my contribution to Renewable Energy Education Program for Women. Solar PV Program Rural electrification through solar photovoltaic (PV) technology Rural electrification through solar PV technology is becoming more popular, day by day in Bangladesh . Solar Home Systems (SHSs) are highly decentralized and particularly suitable for remote, inaccessible areas. GS's solar program mainly targets those areas, which have no access to conventional electricity and little chance of getting connected to the grid within 5 to 10 years. It is one of its most successful programs. Currently, GS is one of the largest and fastest growing rural based renewable energy companies in the world. GS is also promoting Small Solar Home System to reach low income rural households. Grameen Shakti has installed 310,992 Solar Home Systems till June 2010. Individual Solar Home System capacity of Grameen Shakti's , ranges from 30-128Wp. GS Renewable Energy Programs at a Glance:Figure : March 2008
SHSs can be used to light up homes, shops, fishing boats etc. It can also be used to charge cellular phones, run televisions, radios and cassette players. SHSs have become increasingly popular among users because they present an attractive alternative to conventional electricity such as no monthly bills, no fuel cost, very little repair, maintenance costs, easy to install any where etc. GS installed SHSs have made a positive impact on the rural people. GS has introduced micro-utility model in order to reach the poorer people who cannot afford a SHS individually. Another successful GS venture is Polli Phone which allows people is off grid areas the facilities of telecommunication through SHS powered mobile phones. GS has developed an effective strategy for reaching people in remote and rural areas with solar PV technology. It involves:
At present, GS has more than 800,000 beneficiaries through its 280 unit offices, 42 regional offices and 5 division offices. By now, GS installed nearly 310,992( June 2010 ) solar home systems of size 10kw-75kw Grameen Shakti has taken a massive program for the coming years. GS aiming to install more 1 million solar home systems, 10 million improved cook stoves by the year 2015. To see the program a success, GS are developing more skilled manpower through training and capacity building. GS has so far trained up about 500 engineers and 600 field staffs on solar PV technology, 50 engineers, 120 field staffs and more than 300 masons on biogas technology For its contribution towards popularizing solar technology, GS has won several international awards such as The Energy Globe Award, 2002 from Austria, “European Solar Prize Award”, 2003 from Germany, “Best Theme Award”, 2003 from USAID and “Solar Prize” ,2004 from a government own company and “ Best Organization Award” , 2005 from the Prime Minister of Bangladesh. In 2006 , GS received Ashden Award from UK . Even, I myself also received European Solar Prize” 2006 from Euro Solar , Germany for my contribution to Renewable Energy Education Program for Women.
Biomass Energy development under Grameen Shakti By now, GS installed nearly, about 5,333 biogas plant (December 2009) of size 1.6m3-70m3 gas production capacity per day, 370 commercial and 2000 domestic improved cook stoves. Grameen Shakti installed 3 experimental wind mills and one biomass gassifier. Grameen Shakti is now installing around 4000 systems per month i.e. about 50,000 systems annually. Grameen Shakti has taken a massive program for the coming years which is aiming to install more 1 million biogas plants and 10 million improved cook stoves by the year 2015.
Integrated rural energy and waste management system through biogas technology
In Bangladesh only 3% of the people enjoy the facility of natural gas coming to their homes through pipe lines. The lucky few mostly live in the cities. Most of the Bangladesh's rural people depend on biomass, crop residues, plant debris, animal dung and wood for fuel creating deforestation, flood, soil erosion etc.Women and children, on whom the burden of collecting fuel falls, suffer the most. They are the worst victims of indoor air pollution such as smokes in the kitchens. GS believes that biogas technology is one of the best means to provide natural gas to the largest number of rural people. It can provide them with pollution free, efficient energy for cooking and at the same time protect them from diseases by giving them a cleaner environment. Biogas technology can be used to implement a sustainable waste management program suitable for rural areas, as wastes of all sorts are transformed into biogas or slurry. GS has been successful in promoting and constructing both domestic and larger sizes biogas plants to rural villagers. Impact on biogas plant owners has been positive and demand is increasing day by day. All its clients are enjoying hassle free and pollution free energy for cooking and business activities. Bangladesh has the potential for developing 4 million biogas plants. GS intends to further scale up its successful pilot project and develop a 5 year action plan for expanding biogas program in Bangladesh. GS has developed an integrated and sustainable model for expanding biogas program. The program is based on market approach. GS plays the role of a facilitator, not of a provider. GS does not provide any subsidies, but arranges for soft loans. GS depends on the goodwill of the community for its success. Key features of the program are:
Biogas Plants : Offering Fuel, Health and Income Solutions Biogas plants giving the rural people especially their women the opportunity to cook in a pollution free environment – smokeless kitchens. It has also reduced their cooking time, rescued them from the burden of collecting fuel. ( Case 1 : Ruksana Parveen using biogas for cooking ) Increasing price of kerosene, diesel and other conventional energy sources has made biogas technology an attractive alternative for many rural households. Many rural households are buying biogas at Tk 500- Tk. 300 per month and finding this alternative more cost effective than traditional sources. Therefore owners of domestic size biogas plants are not only using biogas themselves, they are also selling this gas to their neighbours. They are also using the slurry to increase their agricultural yields. ( Case 2 : Haji Fazal Ali making extra income from renting biogas to others ). Small businesses such as tea-stalls and small street side hotels are also renting biogas from others to meet their energy needs. Biogas technology has become very popular among poultry owners. They are constructing medium to large sized plants to get rid of their poultry wastes and at the same time earn extra income through selling of biogas and slurry. ( Case 3: Khaled Hossein using biogas to produce energy and generate income ). Orphanages and some industries have become interested in biogas technology to meet their energy needs and generate income. For example, Muslim Mission has constructed biogas plants on its premise and has signed agreement with GS to manufacture and promote organic fertilizers. Akber Ali, a mid scale business from Jessore manufactures bitumen as well as operating a steel work. His large factory is co-fueled by a biogas plant. Though he has a poultry farm, he buys poultry droppings and cow dung from surrounding farmers. Grameen Dnaone plans to set up biogas plants to power its rural based industry. Financing Biogas Plants
Community Biogas Plants Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries of the world. Most people especially in the rural areas live either as joint families or as groups where each household joins another household, usually relatives living very near each other. GS has already identified the rural households which have the potentiality of setting up biogas plants. Joint families and relatives living near each other can share the cost and benefit of owning and operating a biogas plant. GS is also seeking to bring low income groups under its biogas program by linking them with micro-credit as well as providing them with alternative ways to pay back. For example, a farmer may be provided with livestock so he may set up a biogas plant and at the same time generate income. Linking biogas technology with poultry and organic fertilizer business GS is linking up biogas technology with live stock and poultry business including agriculture and fisheries to develop a sustainable biogas program. Poultry firms are interested in biogas technology because it helps them to get rid of poultry wastes and at the same time meet their energy needs as well as earn extra income by selling biogas and slurry. Same is true for livestock owners. Farmers would be interested in buying slurry from biogas plant owners because this reduces their farming costs and increases their yield. Many enterprises who do not have poultry or livestock are also interested in biogas plants. Others own too few poultry or live stock to construct biogas plants which would meet their energy needs. These people can buy poultry litter or cow dung from poultry and live stock owners for their biogas plants. Therefore an intermediary entrepreneur class would develop who will sell poultry litter, cow dung and slurry linking biogas technology with agriculture and live stock business. Grameen SHakti is promoting bio-digester to produce both clean burning biogases. The residues to be used in the field as fertilizer or in the ponds for fish cultivation.
Installation done under Grameen Agriculture Foundation More 30 Biogas Plants being installed from Grameen Shakti's won programme.
Improved Cooked Stoves Program (ICS)
Organic Fertilizer Program
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In
Bangladesh only 3% of the people enjoy the facility of
natural gas coming to their homes through pipe lines. The
lucky few mostly live in the cities. Most of the
Bangladesh's rural people depend on biomass, crop residues,
plant debris, animal dung and wood for fuel creating
deforestation, flood, soil erosion etc.Women and children,
on whom the burden of collecting fuel falls, suffer the
most. They are the worst victims of indoor air pollution
such as smokes in the kitchens.
In
rural Bangladesh, the energy consumption for cooking outstrips the
demand for all other uses of energy. Grameen Shakti has launched a
program to promote improved cook stoves in Bangladesh to address the
high demand for biomass fuels and indoor air pollution caused by
cooking on polluting, traditional stoves.
Excessive
farming and use of chemical fertilizers have damaged soil fertility
of Bangladesh. GS has undertaken a program to develop organic
fertilizers from slurry and market these as a supplement of chemical
fertilizers through entrepreneurs. Selected entrepreneurs will
promote, and distribute GS developed organic fertilizers while GS
will provide the required technical assistance and ensure quality
control. Slurry the byproduct of biogas has the ability to safeguard
organic materials such as nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium,
which increases it's standard as a fertilizer and ensures higher
agricultural production. Soil Research Department of University of
Dhaka, Bangladesh Agriculture University has verified that organic
fertilizers developed by GS have very little harmful ingredients.
Especially, GS organic fertilizers produced from poultry litter are
very good for acidic soil and helps to reduce acidity and aluminum
poisoning.| 2010 © Renewable Energy Information Network Bangladesh. |