Renewable World, in partnership with International Development Enterprises (iDE), is delighted to announce the launch of a new joint project, Power Aquaculture – Innovating Clean Energy Development for Off-Grid Hatcheries and Communities in Bangladesh. The project was selected as one of the thirteen winners of this year’s, US$13 million, ‘Powering Agriculture: An Energy Grand Challenge for Development Second Global Call for Innovations’ (PAEGC) under the USAID Global Innovation Lab.
With over 30 years’ experience in designing and delivering market based anti-poverty programs, iDE will lead the delivery of the project in Bangladesh, supported by Renewable World, who with our mandate to “tackle poverty through renewable energy”, will provide the renewable energy technical and business model expertise required. Powering Aquaculture will be formally launched at an event in Dhaka, Bangladesh on Monday 21st March 2016. Representatives from the private sector, public sector, development partners, donors and civil society organizations will be in attendance. The event will include an interactive round table discussion between panelists to address key topics in the clean energy landscape in Bangladesh.
Focused on pilot testing and proof of concept demonstration of clean energy solutions and innovative business models, the project aims at connecting lead firms in the renewable energy sector to financing low-income communities and investing in hatcheries as hubs for sustainable and reliable power generation through market mechanisms. The project will replace kerosene consumption at the hatchery and households and diesel pumps at two fish hatcheries with sustainable solar micro-grids. Both kerosene and diesel are expensive, unsustainable and damage the environment, the food chain and human health.
Powering Aquaculture will facilitate a cost-effective, clean energy solution that will reduce energy costs and increase productivity for hatcheries and household fish-raisers while providing domestic energy access for nearby homes. The micro-grid will power hatchery water pumping and provide household-level renewable power using an innovative metering technology that will enable users to pay for their electricity using their mobile phone. The renewable energy solution will provide both end-user groups with a safe and reliable alternative to current practices whilst increasing productivity and incomes.
Energy costs to the fish hatchery owners and householders will be reduced improving the economic opportunities of both. The utilization of a solar micro-grid means hatchery owners and nearby fish farmers can economically pump water in the dry seasons, extending annual production, increasing the demand for fish fingerlings and strengthening the local economy. Lighting will also become available into the night, maximizing educational opportunities for children as they will have the ability to complete homework after dark. The households surrounding the fish hatcheries will therefore be linked to a sustainable, clean, reliable energy source reaping the income, health and educational benefits in the process. Aquaculture is widespread across Bangladesh and consequently, this project hopes to prove a technical and business model that has the potential to improve the lives of tens of thousands of the poor.
https://youtu.be/oz5RoLnyH2c
To find out more about the project launch, visit the Powering Agriculture website.
PAEGC Partners
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Implementation Partners
