Wind turbine electricity ushers in new hopes in Bangladesh

 

DHAKA, Aug 6, 2005 -- Xinhua

 

Bangladesh's first-ever generation of electricity from wind at a 900-kilowatt plant has ushered in new hopes for generation of power with minimum cost in the country.

The power plant, located near the Muhuri Dam in southeastern Feni district, have four separate wind turbines of 225 kw each and established at a cost of 90 million taka (1.5 million US dollars) including 19.3 million taka (320,000 US dollars) for feasibility study. It is now ready to generate electricity from wind and supply to the Muhuri Irrigation Project and the national grid, according to The Bangladesh Observer Saturday.

Wind energy is produced mainly by massive three-bladed wind turbines that sit atop all towers and work like fans in reverse. Rather than using electricity to make wind, turbines use wind to make power.

The Bangladesh Power Development Board (PDB) implemented the project under a pilot programme. The main specialty of this unique wind energy is to generate electricity at 440V and longevity of this sort of plant is 20 to 30 years, the daily reported.

Chief Engineer of PDB and Director of the project Khizir Khan was quoted as saying that it takes only 1.18 taka (about 2 US cents) to generate each kilowatt power from wind while average kilowatt generation cost in other power plants is 3 taka (5 US cents).

"Wind energy is technically feasible, financially viable and environment-friendly," Khan said. "We will put forward recommendations to the government about economic viability of the plant and request the authorities concerned to set up more wind power plants."

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