An efficient, resilient, and green grid for the Bangladesh power system

Project Summary:

The project aimed to increase energy resilience and economic development in Bangladesh by implementing a smart grid that facilitates renewable energy integration. Smart grids are more than just a way to improve energy efficiency and resilience—they can also be powerful green growth tools for addressing economic, environmental, and social inequities. This World Bank KGGTF-funded green growth implementation program will investigate and plan smart grid solutions for reducing Bangladesh’s dependence on expensive oil and dwindling gas supplies, making electricity cheaper and more accessible, and improving energy reliability. The program will identify ways of creating and integrating solar and hybrid mini-grids into larger-scale energy generation and transmission plans. Relying on the expertise of Korea Power Exchange, Bangladeshi officials will plan for the automated dispatch of energy, the introduction of smart-grid technologies, and more renewable sources, reducing operational and system failures and boosting energy access. The end result: a fuel economy that is less polluting, more secure, the generator of successful solar-powered irrigation in rural areas, and the catalyst for empowering the nearly 40 percent of the population that currently lives without electricity.

List of Activities:

• Dispatch efficiency solutions
• Develop Resilient grid
• Deliver Variable renewable energy integration

Outcomes:

Output 1:

• Assess % fuel cost savings from dispatch automation 
• Detailed investment plan to implement dispatch automation 

Output 2:

• Schedule for relay setting 
• A set of contingencies that the power system needs to cover 
• List of smart grid components to be included in a detailed implementation to ready the grid for renewables

Output 3:

• Assessment of renewable resources 
• A geo-spatial planning case study to show how renewable resources can be used to develop integrated solution 
• Technical solutions around reserve requirements, smart grid for transmission, standardized mini-grids 
• Workshop for dissemination of findings 
• Technical tours (i) Korean experts to visit PGCB; and (ii) PGCB staff to visit Korea

Outcomes:

The project supported the Bank to develop a grid-compatible design of mini-grids that is highly replicable to support domestic, commercial and agricultural pumping loads throughout the country. The long term impact would be an enhanced access of electricity throughout the country. Mini-grids helped provide a cheaper and greener form of electricity to households and businesses and agricultural pumps. The overall expected outcome was that the basic smart components delivered a grid that was less susceptible to failure and readied the system for 1-1.5 GW of VRE that was being planned.

Collaboration with K-Partners and Others:

• WBG internal partners:
  • ESMAP: funding on VRE integration
  • Mr Sandeep Kohli (Team Leader, SEAFASAR)
  • Dr Sheoli Pargal (Energy Program Leader for Bangladesh, and TTL of AAA project #P150086)
• External partners from Korea:
• • Konkuk University
  • KERI
  • Korea Smart Grid Initiative (KSGI)
  • Korea Micro Energy Grid (K-MEG)
     
• Other external partners:
• VIT Energy, led by Dr Peter Son, will provide the analytical solution on this work.
• National Renewable Energy Laboratory