Professor Dr. Ijaz Hossain focuses on renewable energy to ensure fuel security

Professor Dr. Ijaz Hossain, a former professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and former Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at BUET, is an expert in energy and sustainable development. He has worked extensively on energy efficiency, renewable energy, and environmentally friendly production. Mahfuzur Rahman Manik, Senior Sub-Editor of Daily Daily Samakal, took an exclusive interview of Professor Dr. Ijaz Hossain on the vital issue of energy.

Daily Samakal: The war in the Middle East has already affected the global energy market, and we are also feeling its effects in Bangladesh. How serious do you think the impact could be for us?

Ijaz Hossain: The energy crisis caused by the war in the Middle East could have a quite significant impact on Bangladesh. However, it is still difficult to say exactly how bad it will be. Although Iran wants to close the Strait of Hormuz, the United States is trying to keep it open. Iran has said it will allow ships from countries other than the United States and Israel to pass. Most of our imported oil is diesel, which arrives regularly and is used without much storage. If the war ends or traffic through the Strait of Hormuz returns to normal, the impact on us should not be very great.

Daily Samakal: Jet fuel prices have already risen.

Ijaz Hossain: That is true. Once prices go up, they often do not come down easily even if the situation improves. If we have to buy at higher prices for even a month or two, it will affect our economy.

Daily Samakal: The government has announced energy conservation measures to deal with the situation. It also introduced a rationing system for fuel procurement, but cancelled it after a few days. What is your view on this?

Ijaz Hossain: Countries that depend heavily on imported fuel usually introduce rationing during crises, and that is the right approach. However, the way rationing is carried out can be discussed. Since our demand for diesel is very high across many sectors, we must think seriously about how to reduce this demand in the future.

Daily Samakal: Are petrol and octane mainly used in transportation?

Ijaz Hossain: Their supply situation is different from diesel because they can be produced within the country. Diesel can be rationed, but since the government says there is no shortage of petrol and octane, I wonder why rationing was applied there. In my view, it would have been better not to introduce rationing for transportation fuel. There might have been some problems, but they would have appeared later.

Daily Samakal: Let us now talk about fuel efficiency policy. How important is it to develop a culture of saving energy among ordinary citizens?

Ijaz Hossain: We do not have a thrifty mindset at all. Fuel prices should have been higher so that people understand their real value. At the current prices, people do not fully realise the importance of fuel. Because of our mentality, we waste even the most expensive things. Since we have suffered a major setback and are becoming heavily dependent on imports, it is now very important to develop a culture of thrift. We need to be careful with resources and use efficient, economical equipment.

Daily Samakal: Speaking about the overall energy situation, how dependent are we really on imports?

Ijaz Hossain: We are completely dependent on imports for fuel oil and diesel, and the demand for diesel is particularly high. As for gas, we have neglected it greatly. Proper gas exploration has not been carried out. We now import about 30 percent of our gas in the form of liquefied natural gas (LNG). We cannot even meet one-third of the total gas demand. When we add everything together, including gas and coal, we have to import around 60 percent of our total energy. If the current situation continues and we fail to increase gas supply, we may have to import as much as 90 percent of our energy by 2030. This is becoming a heavy burden on our economy.

Daily Samakal: Why have we become so dependent on imports?

Ijaz Hossain: There are several reasons. One major reason is that no significant new gas exploration has taken place in the last ten years under the Awami League government. During that period, exploration was so neglected that more attention was given to importing LNG than to extracting our own gas. We have not been able to start any work on gas extraction in deep-sea areas. Several tenders were floated, but they did not produce results. It is hoped that the process will begin soon through new tenders. Bangladesh is basically a gas-based country.

Daily Samakal: But that gas is running out.

Ijaz Hossain: We can see it clearly that our gas reserves are depleting. Even so, we have not given proper attention to gas exploration, extraction, or increasing reserves. At the same time, we have neglected renewable energy. There are challenges such as land availability, but these problems can be overcome. Yet no government has given it serious attention. Even the current interim government has talked a lot but taken little action. If we focus on renewable energy, we will not need to import so much energy.

Daily Samakal: What are your suggestions for reducing dependence on imported energy?

Ijaz Hossain: I strongly recommend focusing on renewable energy. In addition, we can reduce demand to some extent through careful use and efficient equipment. Gas exploration must also be increased. A good example for us is our South Asian neighbour Pakistan. In just one year, they have produced 17,000 megawatts of electricity from renewable sources, while we have not even reached 1,000 megawatts. Pakistan also faced a serious energy crisis with load shedding lasting 10 to 12 hours. Finally, the people became so frustrated that they turned strongly towards renewable energy, mainly through small-scale initiatives.

Daily Samakal: Why is renewable energy not expanding in Bangladesh?

Ijaz Hossain: India has also been successful in renewable energy, like Pakistan. In our case, the main issue is lack of priority. There is a land crisis, which Pakistan and India do not face to the same extent. However, if we give it proper priority, this challenge can be overcome.

Daily Samakal: How effective is renewable energy?

Ijaz Hossain: It is certainly effective. The main problem with renewable energy used to be its high cost. Now the cost of production is gradually decreasing. It is often said that solar power is now the cheapest form of electricity in the world. In Bangladesh, we can generate electricity directly from sunlight for about four and a half hours a day. For the remaining time, we can use battery storage. Batteries are somewhat expensive, but recently China and India are supplying them at very low prices. We should take advantage of this opportunity. In this way, we can easily use solar power at night and meet up to 30 percent of our electricity demand.

Daily Samakal: With the arrival of summer, load shedding has increased significantly. The Energy Minister has said that it is better to face load shedding than to take on more debt. What can we do to manage load shedding?

Ijaz Hossain: During the Awami League period, we saw the introduction of rental and quick-rental power plants to tackle load shedding. In reality, these were oil-based plants started during periods of shortage. If we had enough gas, we could have used gas instead of oil to generate electricity. The cost per unit would then have come down from more than Tk20 to about Tk12. Using our own gas would have brought profit. Even imported gas would not have been as costly. If we had used solar power with batteries as an alternative, the situation would have been more manageable. Now, because of our heavy dependence on rental and quick-rental plants, we are paying thousands of crores of taka in capacity charges. Around Tk50, 000 crore is being spent on subsidies. If this money had been used for gas exploration or other energy projects, we could have become more self-reliant. This kind of waste in the name of subsidies cannot continue.

Daily Samakal: How should the government handle subsidies, price adjustments, and market management during instability in the international energy market?

Ijaz Hossain: This is a major challenge for the government. I believe that if we take decisions that are genuinely good for the country and the energy sector, without being influenced by political considerations, the energy sector will gradually become sustainable. Even if we reduce wasteful subsidies by 20 percent every year, it will take five years to bring meaningful change. In the current world situation, we may have to face some difficulties. I think that if load shedding is necessary, it should be distributed evenly across the country. Uneven load shedding in different areas may create public dissatisfaction. Let me explain the minister’s statement in this context.

Daily Samakal: Yes, please do.

Ijaz Hossain: I understand his words to mean that we are already paying Tk50,000 crore every year because of the many power plants built through borrowing. It is better for the country to accept some load shedding rather than continue increasing the debt burden.

Daily Samakal: What role can ordinary citizens, the private sector, and investors play in energy conservation and the use of alternative energy?

Ijaz Hossain: Energy conservation is the responsibility of everyone. It should be treated almost like a religious duty to follow saving policies. There is no need to teach people to be good citizens in this regard. However, the Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (SREDA) under the Power Division has an important role to play. Manufacturers of electrical equipment also have responsibility. During summer, fans are used heavily. Some companies have started producing BLDC fans, which use much less electricity than conventional fans. If everyone starts using energy-efficient fans like these, load shedding can be reduced significantly. A fan runs for an average of 10 to 12 hours a day. Saving electricity through such devices can make a real contribution.

Daily Samakal: Can this approach also be applied in industry?

Ijaz Hossain: Yes. If industries use efficient and cost-effective equipment, they will benefit directly by saving electricity. The positive side is that when power companies sell appliances such as refrigerators, they already advertise them as energy-efficient. If the government encourages or requires industries to use such efficient materials, it can make a big contribution to overall energy saving.

Daily Samakal: We are currently facing an energy crisis because of the war, but energy problems have been a daily reality for us for a long time. What long-term steps can we take to overcome this crisis?

Ijaz Hossain: Around the world, efforts are being made to reduce carbon emissions. Bangladesh can benefit greatly by accessing international carbon funding. For example, the Danish government is helping to build a wind power plant in Bangladesh for green electricity under carbon credit arrangements. We can take up more such projects by bringing in funds from abroad. Some concessions could be given on land use for renewable energy projects. According to one study, if we use just one percent of our cultivated land, we could generate 50,000 megawatts of renewable energy. At the same time, gas exploration and extraction must continue. There is good potential for discovering substantial amounts of gas in deep offshore areas, and this should be given high priority.

Daily Samakal: Thank you for your time.

Ijaz Hossain: Thank you too. Best wishes to Daily Samakal.

Writer: Mahfuzur Rahman Manik, Senior Sub-Editor of Daily Daily Samakal