Feasibility Study of Off-Grid Sustainable Energy System for Coastal Bhasan Char to Rehabilitate Rohinga Refugees

Abstract

Government of Bangladesh (GoB) is implementing an
emergency humanitarian project at coastal island Bhasan Char
under Hatiya of Noakhali District, from September 2017 to
temporarily rehabilitate a portion of incoming Rohinga refugees
before they can repatriate to their home land, Myanmar. Under
this project, GoB will carry out land development, construction of
embankment as well as other infrastructures. This study is aimed
at providing partial basic energy support to the government’s
initiative of rehabilitating 103,200 Rohinga refugees. Under the
study, we check the feasibility of establishing off-grid sustainable
energy system. We also perform the financial analysis of the
proposed energy system by considering 20 years life-span of the
project. Our study shows that annual average solar insolation in
Bhasan char is 4.82kWh/m2
/day and daily bright sunshine hour
varies from 3 hours to 11 hours. Wind flow data of Bhasan char
shows the average annual wind speed of 3.74m/s which is available
round the clock and throughout the year. These data justify the
suitability of environment friendly off-grid solar energy system as
well as wind energy system for Bhasan Char. However,
considering the effective generation hours, to diversify energy
sources and basing on analysis result using HOMER (Hybrid
Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources) software – we are
proposing a hybrid energy system with 40% contribution from
wind and rest 60% from solar. Our financial analysis of the project
shows a total cost of 43.848 Crore (USD 0.525 Crore) over 20-year
life span. Therefore, a BDT 2.192 Crore/year is quite economical
and justifiable, considering the long-term impact that it might
provide to displaced 103,200 refugees as well as the solution that
we are providing to adverse negative socio-economic impact on
Bangladesh from Rohinga issue.