In Bangladesh, more than 60% of the population relies on agriculture for income, yet most of the country’s 1.6 million irrigation pumps still run on diesel fuel. This makes them a big contributor to the country’s carbon emissions and air pollution. Seeking to drive a large-scale clean energy transition in rural communities, the goal is to cut emissions and utilise energy more efficiently. The project aims to develop smart energy systems that harness excess electricity generated by Solar Irrigation Pumps (SIPs) and channel it towards local agricultural needs, such as sustainable cooling, post-harvest management, and food processing. Professor Dr. Lynsey Melville, Professor of Environmental Engineering at Birmingham City University, UK is leading the project and Myself, Dr. Chayan Kumer Saha, Professor, Department of Farm Power and Machinery, Bangladesh Agricultural University is In-country lead and Co-PI of the project.  The project will be implemented in collaboration with the leading Bangladeshi NGOs – Bright Green Energy Foundation (BGEF) and Water and Sanitation for Urban Poor (WSUP). We will be developing a decision support system (DSS) and digital twin for the smart management of solar energy from Solar Irrigation Pump (SIP). 

 

To learn more, please visit: www.bcu.ac.uk/research/projects/smart-sip