Staff Correspondent

The Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) and Dhaka Electric Supply Company (DESCO) Limited on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to install, operate and maintain a 150 kilowatt-peak (kWp) rooftop solar power system at BIDA’s headquarters in Agargaon.

The signing ceremony, held at the Investment Building’s conference room, was presided over by BIDA Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun.

BIDA Director Md Maruful Alam and DESCO Company Secretary Engineer Mohammad Kamruzzaman signed the MoU on behalf of their respective organisations.

Under the agreement, DESCO will implement, operate, and maintain the solar system on a 9,105-square-foot rooftop.

The 20-year project will cost approximately Tk 8.9 million for installation, with an additional Tk 8.7 million allocated for maintenance and replacement over its lifespan.

The system is expected to generate around 2.85 million kilowatt-hours of electricity over 20 years, valued at roughly Tk 29.9 million.

DESCO will consume 90 percent of the power, while BIDA will receive the remaining 10 percent. Carbon credits earned from the project will be equally shared between the two entities.

Work on the project is set to begin with a tender call on October 1, 2025, with commercial operations targeted by January 31, 2026.

“This project will serve as a model for government institutions, encouraging similar initiatives nationwide,” Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun said.

The initiative aligns with the government’s renewable energy targets of generating 20 percent of electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and 30 percent by 2040.