Opting for sustainable energy sources
A biofuel plant
The world's population has dramatically increased in size since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. As the population grows, there are more homes to heat, more food to provide and more machines to power. Therefore, the demand for energy is incredibly increasing worldwide. Meanwhile climate change is the most urgent environmental threat facing people and the planet. The greenhouse gases responsible for it come from non-renewable energy sources. The most damaging of these gases is carbon dioxide (CO2), which is pushing up average temperatures on the earth's surface, leading to more severe weather events -- floods, droughts and storms, as well as rising sea levels and disruption of entire eco-systems. Therefore, the global energy system is trying to shift towards renewable sources to avoid dangerous changes to the environmet. Nuclear energy is the largest source of renewable energy after water, sunlight and wind. Most commonly, it is used for generating electricity involving a small amount of radioactive substance under controlled situation. Bangladesh is also one of the largest least developing countries in south Asia. A booming economic growth, rapid urbanization and increased industrialization have enhanced the country's demand for energy. Energy is the most important prerequisite for development in any country. However, Bangladesh is facing a severe shortage of electricity produced from the conventional fuel-based power plants. Production at many of the fuel-based power plants, such as 100MW power plant at Julda, 110MW power plant in Khulna and 96MW power plant at Siddhirganj as well as 54MW power plant at Gazipur has been stopped. Currently, the country produces just about 4,000MW of electricity against the daily demand of up to 10,000MW. Therefore, it is obvious that all the conventional and non-conventional resources like coal, oil, natural gas, sun, wind and hydropower cannot meet the country's energy requirements. Therefore, apparently nuclear energy is the only alternative left for Bangladesh to support its booming economic growth and industrialization. Recently, IAEA Director General Eukia Amano assured its use in a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. It is to mention that the proposal of building nuclear power station at Rooppur was approved in the national parliament on 9 December 2010. Meanwhile, during Sheikh Hasina's tour to Russia, a mutual agreement was signed between the two countries regarding establishment of nuclear power plant. In my view, an appropriate decision has been taken by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, considering the country's energy crisis at the moment. The Prime Minister with all the related delegates including our brilliant scientists, however, need to delve deeper to understand the pros and cons of implementing the nuclear reactor. In addition, government of Bangladesh should immediately set up a task force in collaboration with other developed countries in the world to adopt more effective measures in construction, implementation and operation of nuclear power plants. The mission on development of renewable energy sources like solar, wind and biomass has already started in Bangladesh. With regards to wind power, several studies and research were carried out by various parties on viability of wind energy. It was reported that the small wind turbines could be installed in the coastal region and off-shore islands of the country. However, wind energy also suffers intermittency which requires electrical compensation and storage. Bangladesh is blessed with sunlight as it sits on tropical region with an average daily solar radiation of 46.5 kWh/m2. Based on these results, solar PV development provides bright future. However, besides highly capital intensive, another major drawback of solar power is requirement of vast area to produce reasonable amount of electricity. Biomass, solid waste and biogas plants are among other renewable sources that are rigorously being developed. It has been reported by Infrastructure Development Company Ltd (IDCOL) and Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV) that biogas sectors are highly workable and effective based upon waste in Bangladesh. In addition, economic benefits including availability of subsidy and health benefits including the reduction of smoke-borne diseases are the main factors which could respond for installing biogas plants. Biofuel is another alternative clean energy produced from renewable biomass materials or animal fat. One of the important benefits of it is its carbon neutrality. It means that the amount of CO2 released when burnt is equal to the amount absorbed by the plants. Now, transportation sector requires carbon neutral biofuel to reduce the CO2 emissions. The tannery waste disposed of in the Buriganga can be used as a biofuel source for it contains more than 60 percent animal fat. Using poisonous tannery waste for the production of biofuel can transform a major source of pollution into that of pollution reduction, opening up a new opportunity in tannery sector of Bangladesh. If the government extends its helping hand to set up biofuel plants along the tanneries, the leather industry of Bangladesh would prosper in a big way as an eco-friendly and sustainable industry.
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