A 20-kilowatt solar power plant and training centre in Khulna city, set up in 2008 to promote renewable energy and create public awareness, has been lying idle for nearly 14 years due to neglect.

The facility is located beside a pond in a park in Sonadanga Residential Area.

The project was jointly implemented by the European Union, Germany’s Bremen University and Khulna City Corporation.

The initiative began in 2007, when Dr Bibhuti Roy, a former professor at Germany’s Bremen University, proposed setting up a solar power training institute and generation centre.

He prepared the “Promotion of Renewable (Solar) Energy” project for Khulna division and secured a grant of Tk 1.05 crore from donor agencies.

“I believed that small-scale individual initiatives to generate solar power at the community level, including household rooftops, tin-shed houses, pond embankments, and other unused spaces in villages and towns, could transform the energy sector in a country like Bangladesh sustainably,” Dr Bibhuti said over the phone.

“Large projects alone cannot solve the problem,” he added.

He said despite repeated efforts to keep the initiative alive and operational, little progress had been made.

“If the KCC takes initiative, the project can still be revived,” he said.

According to project officials, the facility once generated around 150-160 units of electricity daily. The power was used to run solar streetlights inside the park and operate the training institute beside the plant.

Surplus electricity was supplied to the national grid.

Now, the project stands as a symbol of wasted potential.

During a recent visit, most of the solar panels installed at the plant were found to be functional. However, batteries, inverters, and several components of the control room have become unusable.

Numerous cables were also stolen over the years.

Officials said replacing the damaged equipment and reconnecting the system could restart the plant at a cost of only Tk 12-15 lakh.

Experts said the revived plant could generate at least around 16KW of electricity daily, enough to illuminate the entire Sonadanga neighbourhood or streetlights along several major roads, including KDA Avenue.

According to KCC officials, the city corporation allocated 4.33 acres of abandoned land between Sonadanga First and Second residential areas for the project.

Construction of the training institute began on December 24, 2007, after illegal structures were removed with administrative support.

Former KCC executive engineer (Electrical) Zahid Hossain Sheikh, who served as the project director, said 222 solar modules with a generation capacity of 20KW were installed across 4,000 square feet on the rooftop of the training centre in 2008.

“The power plant operated successfully for several years. West Zone Power Distribution Company Limited even agreed to purchase excess electricity at Tk 3.98 per unit,” he said.

However, from 2010 onward, equipment gradually became outdated, while wires and machinery were stolen repeatedly.

Due to a lack of monitoring and repairs, the plant has remained non-functional since 2012.

The training institute also shut down due to declining student enrolment.

“If the damaged and outdated equipment is replaced, the plant can be operational again,” Zahid said.

Local solar business owners said the system could also be connected under a modern net-metering arrangement with the power distribution authority.

Kudrat-e-Khuda, convener of Poribesh Surakkha Mancha, said renewable energy should now receive far greater policy attention, and steps should be taken to make the plant functional again.

Hasan Mehedi, energy expert and executive director of CLEAN, said every MW of solar power can save about Tk 2.8 crore annually in fuel import costs.

Contacted, KCC Administrator Nazrul Islam Monju said several attempts had been made in the past to restart the plant, but none succeeded.

“The issue would be discussed with the Power Division,” he added.