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Summit Power said it aims to set up a 50 MW floating solar plant on a body of water at the Barapukuria coal power plant in northwestern Bangladesh.

Summit Power is seeking state approval to install floating PV on a body of water at a coal power plant in Barapukuria, Bangladesh.

The site was the subject of a feasibility study by the Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (SREDA) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). They determined that a floating solar power plant with 40 MW to 50 MW capacity could be set up there.

“We express our sincere commitment to deliver the project in the shortest possible time using the world’s most efficient technologies,” said Latif Khan, the director of Summit Power.

Barapukuria Coal Mining Co. officials have noted that a number of Chinese companies also expressed interest in developing the site.

Summit Power, which is listed on the Dhaka Stock Exchange, wants to build the solar plant in cooperation with Barapukuria Coal Mining. It said it aims to implement the project as a lead member under a land lease agreement. However, it said it is also open to revenue sharing or any other arrangements proposed by the government.

Presently, there is only one floating solar power plant in Bangladesh. The 10 kW facility was set up by Solar EPC Development Ltd., a private sector developer. It was built on a pond in the municipality of Mongla, in southwestern Bangladesh. The company is now waiting for approval to set up a 10 MW floating solar plant on the same pond.

Separately, the Bangladeshi government is working on setting up a 50 MW floating solar power plant on Kaptai Lake in Rangamati district. Currently, the country’s renewables capacity stands at 790 MW. About 556 MW of the total is solar power. The country aims to generate 40% electricity from renewables by 2041.