Bangladeshi telco Robi Axiata announced on Wednesday it has signed a tripartite MoU with two green-energy firms to establish a 100 megawatt-peak (MWp) solar-power park to power its operations in Bangladesh.
Under the MoU, Robi Axiata, renewable energy project developer FloSolar Solutions, and GreenPower Asia (a subsidiary of France's Volta Groupe) will form a special-purpose vehicle (SPV) to develop and operate the solar park.
The park will be developed under a build-own-operate (BOO) model, under which Robi Axiata will be the sole customer of the park via a long-term corporate power purchase agreement (CPPA).
Robi Axiata CTO Perihane Metaweh said the solar park was a “game changer” for the telco’s sustainability strategy that would enable it to reduce its dioxide emissions by arround 68,200 tonnes per year.
“By securing 100 MWp of renewable energy through a CPPA, we are not only reducing our reliance on fossil fuels but also driving cost efficiency and ESG leadership in Bangladesh's telecom sector,” she said in a statement.
Robi said it’s still looking for a site for the solar park, but several potential sites have been identified. The final site will be selected following a detailed feasibility study.
Robi also said the SPV will conduct a separate feasibility study to explore the possibility for equipping as many as 16,000 of its mobile base stations with solar energy. The telco has been adding solar to select base stations since at least 2022.
According to the Daily Star, Robi, FloSolar and GreenPower Asia are taking advantage of the Bangladesh government's recent draft policy that allows private entities to develop and sell power without long-term government off-take agreements.
