Bangladesh’s ready-made garment (RMG) factories could generate up to 1,768 megawatt-peak (MWp) of electricity from rooftop solar, potentially meeting around one-third to two-fifths of their power demand, according to a study by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD).
Presented at a CPD discussion in Dhaka on Chinese investment opportunities in rooftop solar for the RMG sector, the study mapped nearly 9.7 million square metres of factory rooftop space. It estimates solar potential of 485MWp in small factories, 637MWp in medium factories and 646MWp in large factories.
Rooftop solar could cover a median 38% of electricity demand in small factories, 33% in medium units and 40% in large factories.
The findings come as Bangladesh faces persistent energy shortages, with fuel constraints limiting actual power generation despite an installed capacity of around 29,500MW. The study used electricity consumption data from hundreds of factories and a machine-learning model to estimate demand across the wider RMG sector.
