Rampal Solar Plant Plan Turns Coal Land Green

A 442MW Rampal solar plant is set to win government approval in Bangladesh. It would rise on land first acquired for a coal project near the Sundarbans.

The Bangladesh Power Development Board is the developer. The plan costs Tk 2,498 crore, about $300 million. The Daily Star reports that the Executive Committee is expected to approve it in October, according to its report.

What the Rampal solar plant would use

The government acquired 1,834 acres at Rampal in 2012. Some 918.5 acres remain unused. The solar project would sit on that spare land.

The design calls for at least 640MWp of solar panels. Grid-tied inverters would total 360MW. Operational output is put at 442MW. A new 3-kilometre, 230kV double-circuit line would carry the power.

The proposal says emissions of carbon, sulphur and nitrogen dioxide in the Sundarbans area would be zero. That claim concerns the plant’s operation. Environmental groups will still want to see the full impact assessment.

The project supports a national target. Bangladesh wants 20 per cent of its energy mix to come from renewables by 2030. That would need about 10,000MW of solar generation. On-grid solar capacity today stands at 797MW out of 28,827MW in total.

The government aims to keep solar tariffs between Tk 4 and Tk 8 per unit. A committee has been formed to finalise renewable energy policy. It will oversee the 2025 Renewable Energy Policy.

The gap between today and the target is large. Reaching 10,000MW means building at a pace the country has not yet shown. Land is scarce, and land that is already acquired is valuable.

For many readers, the symbolism matters. Rampal was long linked to a coal plant and fears for the world’s largest mangrove forest. Putting solar panels on that site would change the story, if the safeguards hold.

Fuel costs also loom over the debate. See our report on the BPC loan for fuel imports for context on why cheaper domestic power matters.

Readers should watch for the final approval, the tender process and the timeline. Costs and delivery dates often shift in large energy projects, so firm schedules matter.

Fact basis: The Daily Star (6 October 2026) on the Rampal 442MW solar proposal; figures from the project document as reported.