GP urged to allow local cos for BTS solar systems

UNB, Dhaka :
Bangladesh Solar & Renewable Energy Association (BSREA), a forum of local solar power system providers and manufacturers, has urged the Grameenphone authorities to allow local companies to supply their solar power systems for its base transceiver station (BTS).
It has also requested the country’s leading telecom company, a subsidiary of global telecom giant Telenor, to review its decision to escalate its BTS with solar power supplied by foreign vendors instead of local ones.
In a letter sent to Grameenphone CEO Rajeev Sethi on Wednesday, the BSREA said it has come to their notice that Telenor/Grameenphone has taken a decision to escalate solar power for BTS in Bangladesh with global enlisted vendors of Telenor, and not with local Bangladeshi companies, who already have years of experience in doing the same with GP.
It mentioned that the GP in 2007 took the pioneering initiative to pilot green energy in telecom sector, and till today GP has installed over 310 sites. Majority of the projects were executed by local companies and members of BSREA successfully. Besides, key components like panel and battery are manufactured in the country and used in GP systems.
“With local industry proving its experience and expertise in the area of solar power system for BTS, we wonder what is the wisdom and prudence in GP decision to now give the job to its global enlisted vendors. Rather GP would have done the nation and the sector a big support and cooperation by enlisting local companies as global vendors and creating overseas roll out opportunities and generate export revenue for the country,” said the BSREA letter signed by its president Dipal Barua.
The BSREA requested the GP to re-look and review the decision that will adversely affect the local organisations’ participation in escalating usage of green energy in telecom sector. “It’ll create the opportunity for our member firms with experience and expertise to participate,” he said.