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China. www.powerchina-ne.com Editor Mollah M Amzad Hossain Fortnightly Magazine, Vol 19, Issue 4, August 1-15 Advisory Editor Anwarul Islam Tarek Mortuza Ahmad Faruque Saiful Amin International Editor Dr. Nafis Ahmed Contributing Editors Saleque Sufi Online Editor GSM Shamsuzzoha (Nasim) Managing Editor Afroza Hossain Electricity is now lighting every single house of Bangladesh. Prime Deputy Editor Syed Mansur Hashim Minister Sheikh Hasina has led this commendable achievement. She has Reporters really translated the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Arunima Hossain Rahman’s vision into reality — providing grid power to all at affordable Assistant Online Editor price. Some 99.8% of the population are now under the grid coverage. Aditya Hossain Bangladesh has achieved the success at a time when the country is Manager A & A Md. Ariful Islam celebrating its golden jubilee of independence. But there is still a black Design & Graphics spot — the electricity price now is considered not affordable. There is a Md. Monirul Islam reason to be critical about the price. In last 11 years, the bulk power Photography Bulbul Ahmed tariff increased by 111% and the retail price by 90%. It does not go in ’ Production line with the Bangabandhu s vision. Mufazzal Hossain Joy Computer Graphics Bangladesh has almost moved out of own fuel and increasingly getting Md. Uzzal Hossain dependent on imported fuel. Consequently, the generation cost as well Circulation Assistant as the retail price went up to a level, which experts consider, beyond Khokan Chandra Das the affordable limit. It’s the high time for the policy makers to think Editorial, News & Commercial Room 509, Eastern Trade Center about how the local energy resources could be utilized and the price of 56 Inner Circular Road (VIP Road) electricity be reduced to an affordable level. Naya Paltan. GPO Box : 677 Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh Tel & Fax : 88-02-58314532 Email: [email protected] [email protected] Website: www.ep-bd.com Price Bangladesh: Tk 50, SAARC: US$ 6, Asia: US$ 8, Europe: US$ 10, North America, Africa & Australia: US$ 14 21 9 49 They suggested keeping in mind The Awami League government has Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has already fulfilled one of the while formulating the master completely turned around from dreams of Bangabandhu Sheikh plan that the world cannot Bangabandhu’s vision of mining own coal Mujibur Rahman — ensuring completely eliminate using the and using it for power generation. fossil fuel in near future and access to power for all. All out However, mining coal and burning it for endeavors are also directed for may not even by 2050. The power generation has become a global achieving his other unrealized master plan should be realistic concern. The use of coal as the cheapest visions. However, we need to and not prepared on the basis of mitigate the increasing reliance emotions. An implementable available option is uncertain. The capacity on imported fuel for achieving and role of BMEDC for exploration of coal sustainable supply of power at roadmap must also be included is also questionable. It has now turned into affordable price ... Mr Abul in the master plan facilitating Kalam Azad tells EP regular monitoring. an organization of no vision, no destination. Encouraged by the readers and patrons, the EP would continue bringing out Green Pages to contribute to the country’s efforts in its journey towards environment-friendly energy. Contents 43 Integrated Cooperation to Help Expand RE: Nasrul 44 Pakistan Moves Towards 60% Clean Energy by 2030 45 World’s Largest Rooftop PV Plant Powering Chinese Industrial Park 45 Sembcorp, PUB Open Tengeh Floating Solar Farm Contents 5 WORLD WATCH 35 SDGs Latest Development in SDG­7 and UN High­Level World Dialogue on Energy Towards Affordable and Clean 6 SNAPSHOT Energy for All by 2030 Latest Development 39 REPORT 9 COVER Total Energies in $750MM+ Great Leader’s LNG Deal Farsightedness 40 Govt Allows Captive Plant at 15 COVER ARTICLE Araihazar EZ Bangabandhu and Oil, Gas & 41 Green Energy Share on Mineral Sector Development Strategies in Bangladesh Gradual Rise for Sustainable Fuel Mix: Nasrul 17 SPECIAL ARTICLE Daughter Implementing 46 CLIMATE Father’s Vision Financial Support to Climate Vulnerable Countries Urgent: 21 SPECIAL REPORT Shahab Uddin Experts for Power, Energy Integrated Master Plan 47 EU Unveils Plan to Increase 25 ARTICLE Renewables Share in Energy Bangabandhu and Power, Mix to 40% by 2030 Energy Sectors 48 COLUMN 29 RENEWABLE Our Homage to Bangabandhu Wind­Solar HPSs Can Help and His Energy Vision Cut Emissions 49 INTERVIEW 31 ARTICLE Abul Kalam Azad, Dream of Bangabandhu Distinguished Fellow of GCA Challenges and Opportunities and Special Envoy of CVF of Energy Securit Presidency Worldwatch Asian Spot LNG Prices Rise Cabinet Eases Indian FDI Rules to Asian spot prices for liq- Aid BPCL Sale uefied natural gas (LNG) jumped this week to a India's federal cabinet approved plans recently to allow 100% more than six-month foreign direct investment in state-run oil companies in which high, as warm tempera- a strategic stake sale is announced, a move to help privatiza- tures drove up demand tion of Bharat Petroleum Corp, two government sources said. for the fuel used in elec- "Foreign investment up to 100% under automatic route is al- tricity generation, indus- lowed in cases where the government has accorded in-prin- try sources said. ciple approval for strategic disinvestment of the PSU (public The average LNG price for September delivery into Northeast sector undertaking) engaged in petroleum and natural gas sec- Asia LNG-AS was estimated at about $14.45 per metric million tor," said one of the sources. British thermal units (mmbtu), up $1.15 from the previous week, India so far allows 49% foreign direct investment in state-run and the highest since mid-January, the sources said. oil and gas companies. Temperatures in Tokyo, Seoul and Beijing - among the top con- The government wants to sell its near 53% stake in BPCL, sumers of LNG - are expected to stay above average over the India's second-largest state-run refiner, in this financial year next two weeks, weather data from Refinitiv Eikon showed. ending in March 2022, as part of plans to raise 1.75 trillion rupees ($23.5 billion) from stakes in companies. Natural gas prices in the United States and Europe are also high amid hotter weather. China's Guangzhou Gas is seeking a cargo for delivery in Au- Germany Loses Gazprom gust into the Dapeng terminal after earlier buying a cargo for delivery into Diefu at about $14.40 per mmBtu, sources said. Pipeline Appeal Pakistan LNG has sought four cargoes for delivery in Septem- Germany recently ber. lost its fight in Eu- rope's top court Hardeep Singh Puri to Take Charge against a ruling limit- ing Gazprom's ac- of India’s Petroleum Ministry cess to the OPAL pipeline that links Hardeep Singh Puri will now take charge of the Ministry of Pe- troleum and Natural Gas. the Russian gas pro- ducer's Nord Stream pipeline to the country. He has relinquished the portfolio of Civil Aviation but still hold the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry. The case is part of a long-running dispute over the transporta- tion of Russian gas to Europe, which has pitted Poland and Puri succeeds Dharmendra Pradhan as India's new Petroleum other eastern European countries against Germany, the main and Natural Gas Minister. beneficiary of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. The former diplomat has a tough task at hand with the global Nord Stream 2, a pipeline expansion that would double Russ- oil prices surging amid supply constraints and demand hopes. ian gas exports across the Baltic Sea, is controversial because Further, the ever-increasing domestic petrol and diesel prices it bypasses legacy gas routes via Poland and Ukraine. too would remain a key issue to deal with. The United States says the project undermines the security of Pradhan, off late was urging global oil exporters including the Ukraine. OPEC to gradually do away with the production cuts and help lower the surging oil prices. Germany appealed to the Luxembourg-based EU Court of Jus- Another major task at hand for Puri would be the privatization tice (CJEU) after a lower tribunal in 2019 annulled an EU de- of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) which has been de- cision allowing Gazprom to boost deliveries to Europe via the layed due to initial subdued interest among the investor frater- OPAL pipeline. nity coupled with the pandemic-induced slowdown. The tribunal ruling followed a Polish challenge to the Euro- The challenge must not be much different from his expe- pean Commission's decision. rience with the inordinately delayed privatization of Air India which he tried to achieve during his stint as the The CJEU rejected Germany's arguments that "energy solidar- Civil Aviation Minister. ity" is a political concept rather than a legal issue.