Dhaka:The Bangladesh Solar Expo 2026 commenced in Dhaka on Tuesday, aiming to boost the expansion of solar power generation, attract private investments, and promote the installation of rooftop solar systems. This two-day event is being held at the Bangabandhu Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Centre.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the expo is jointly organized by the Power Division under the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources and the Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL). The Prime Minister is expected to attend the opening ceremony as the chief guest and visit various stalls and exhibitions.
The expo's theme, 'Make Every Inch of Rooftop Count, Increase Income through Solar Power,' underscores its focus on presenting the latest solar technologies and government initiatives. It seeks to encourage investment and strengthen cooperation among stakeholders in the renewable energy sector. The event features specialised exhibition stalls showcasing solar panels, inverters, smart grid technologies, advanced battery storage systems, and other modern solar equipment.
Moreover, the expo will host four specialised seminars under the overarching theme 'Policy, People and Capital for Bangladesh's Solar Revolution.' These seminars will address key topics such as pathways to a national solar revolution, expanding rooftop solar installations in the public sector, ensuring energy security, creating employment through domestic and industrial rooftop solar, and mobilising private capital and carbon revenue to finance solar projects.
Local and international experts, policymakers, financial institutions, technology suppliers, investors, and industry representatives are participating as key speakers in these discussions. Additionally, a special orientation session is being arranged for service providers.
Organizers have highlighted a third-party rooftop solar installation initiative aimed at integrating public and private institutions into a common framework. This initiative allows institutions to generate solar electricity without investing their own capital, thereby establishing links between government efforts, institutions, and the populace across Bangladesh.
The expo is expected to significantly contribute to energy security and sustainable development, aligning with Bangladesh's transition towards an environmentally friendly economy. The government has recently implemented several policy and fiscal measures to accelerate solar power expansion, including the Special Solar Power Ordinance 2026 and the National Renewable Energy Development Strategy 2026-2030.
In addition, a special package under the net metering system has been announced to buy surplus electricity generated by rooftop solar installations at Tk 10.50 per unit. The government is also promoting the Operational Expenditure (OpEx) model, allowing third-party companies to install solar panels without requiring public and private institutions to invest their own capital. To further encourage investment, import duties on solar power and battery-related products have been reduced to 1 percent, with value-added tax (VAT) fully waived.