Supplementing electrical power through solar PV systems

Abstract

Dhaka megacity is home to more than 14 million inhabitants. However, the adequate supply of urban utilities, particularly electricity to city dwellers, has been a major challenge mainly due to high population pressure and increasing demand. An insufficient supply of electricity (1,000-1,200 MW) compared to its peak demand (around 2,000 MW) has had a severe negative impact on the city dwellers’ lifestyles. Given the shortfall of power supply in Dhaka, electricity generation through rooftop solar PV systems is widely discussed nowadays. Based on secondary data (sunshine duration, GHI values, etc.) and literature (identification of well-illuminated rooftops within the city and calculation of solar PV-based electricity generation potential by the authors), this chapter reveals that the driving forces (geophysical, economic and sociopolitical and environmental factors) are fully supportive of harnessing solar energy for electricity generation. The application of solar PV system on the city’s extensive well-illuminated rooftops (>10 km2) would be very effective and could possibly meet around half of the city’s power demand.