SANEM Energy Outlook: Volume 1, Issue 2 | October 2024
The theme of the October 2024 issue is “Navigating the Energy Crisis: Strategic Reforms for Ensuring Energy Security”. The first page offers brief highlights of three articles featured inside the bulletin. The second, third, fourth, and fifth pages provide the details of these articles. The first article titled, “Bangladesh’s IEPMP Raises More Questions Than It Answers” critiques Bangladesh’s Integrated Energy and Power Master Plan (IEPMP), approved in June 2023, for lacking clear solutions to BPDB’s revenue shortfall and increasing reliance on imported fossil fuels. It raises concerns over unproven technologies like carbon capture and ammonia co-firing, and argues the plan underestimates renewable energy potential. The author calls for revisiting the IEPMP to address energy security risks, enhance BPDB’s financial health, and focus on local energy resources, including renewables. The second article titled, “Bangladesh’s Energy Sector: What Went Wrong?” discusses the critical issues Bangladesh’s energy sector faced over the years and analyse the aspects that could have better addressed the overall situation. Despite successful electrification efforts, poor planning has led to overcapacity and fuel shortages, causing frequent power outages. The article shows how the focus on importing LNG and neglecting domestic gas exploration, combined with political interests and inefficient management, exacerbated the crisis. The third article titled, “Navigating the Energy Maze: Policy Reforms for Bangladesh” highlights inefficiencies and corruption in Bangladesh’s energy sector under the previous regime. It calls for reforms to restore the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission’s powers, scrap unfair procurement practices, phase out subsidies, and eliminate the capacity payment clause. The authors emphasize diversifying energy sources, improving fuel procurement strategies, and enhancing domestic exploration to ensure long-term sustainability and efficiency in the sector. The sixth page presents eight figures illustrating the current state of the power and energy sector in Bangladesh.
