Bangladesh's push for renewable energy from solar power failed to bring the leading national and international power companies on board owing to the policy volatility like abrupt cancellation of deal and lack of sustainable financial model.
Disinterestedness to participate in the tender process of Bangladesh Power Development Board's (PDB) grid-tied solar power plants is well reflected in the latest bid opening of 12 proposed solar power plants as no foreign company participated in the bidding process.
After six deferrals of the bid submission and opening date, PDB on 2 June opened the bids of the first package of installing 12 plants with a combined 353 MW capacity which received only 20 bids from local companies.
Chinese companies who are installing renewable energy across the globe stayed out of the bidding process. However, there are at least four Chinese companies who got the Letter of Intent in the cancelled deal.
The earlier 31 deals – which were given in an unsolicited manner by the previous regime and later cancelled by the interim government – drew a number of foreign joint venture companies from China, Norway, South Korean and India.
