An 18.69 MWp rooftop solar power project financed by Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL) at Akij Ceramics Limited in Trishal was officially inaugurated, marking a significant milestone in Bangladesh’s transition toward cleaner energy in the industrial sector.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Ulrich Kleppmann as the chief guest. Other notable attendees included Michael Sumser-Hellstern of KfW Development Bank, Alamgir Morshed, Executive Director and CEO of IDCOL, and S. K. Bashir Uddin, Managing Director of Akij Bashir Group.
The project has a total investment of BDT 101.47 crore, of which BDT 76.83 crore was financed by IDCOL. Once fully operational, the solar facility is expected to generate around 19,500 MWh of clean electricity annually and reduce approximately 14,626 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO?) emissions each year. Currently, 10 MWp of the installed capacity is already connected to the national grid through the net-metering system.
Speaking at the event, Ulrich Kleppmann praised the initiative as a strong example of Germany–Bangladesh development cooperation, noting that Germany continues to support Bangladesh’s climate goals through investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency.
Michael Sumser-Hellstern highlighted that the €60 million financing facility provided by KfW to IDCOL is helping accelerate industrial decarbonization and renewable energy deployment in Bangladesh.
Alamgir Morshed emphasized the growing interest from the private sector in adopting solar power. He noted that IDCOL has revised its target to finance 1,150 MWp of rooftop solar capacity by 2030. So far, IDCOL has financed around 220 MWp, with an additional pipeline of more than 200 MWp projects under development.
S. K. Bashir Uddin stated that the project reflects the Akij Bashir Group’s commitment to sustainability and clean energy. The group has already collaborated with IDCOL on 11 solar projects with a combined capacity of 67 MWp.
Following the inauguration, the guests toured the solar installation and factory facilities, observing the project’s role in promoting renewable energy adoption in Bangladesh’s industrial sector.
