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For Applicants | Focus AreasBangladesh / Clean Energy

Applicant Resources

PDF version of RFA (Request for Applications)
Eligible Countries:

Bangladesh

Additional Criteria for Applicants:


Please see Section V of the Solicitation for General Eligibility requirements. For this focus area, applicants must be based at or have an affiliation with an institution of higher education (university), non-profit organization (NGO), or government-managed research laboratory, center, or institute.

Objectives:

Bangladesh’s rapid economic, industrial, and urban growth has led to increased energy demand and consumption in the past decade. While the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) has set a target of 100 percent access to electricity for all by 2021, Bangladesh’s energy challenges have become more complex as the development of modern energy systems has not kept up with strong GDP growth. In the years ahead, the gap between energy supply and increasing energy demand during the peak seasons will be difficult to close. Access to energy will continue to constrain economic development and undermine achieving the country’s development goals. Moreover, the quality and reliability of the electricity grid, and availability and affordability of electricity will need to be tackled.

The GoB recognizes the importance of diversifying its energy sources with low-cost options, noting the critical role renewable energy and energy efficiency must play in meeting the country’s energy demands while meeting the country’s United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) targets. The country will need an estimated 34,000 MW of power by 2030 to sustain its current economic growth rate of over seven percent. The GoB plans to invest an estimated $70.5 billion to reach this goal.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) focuses on expanding access to modern energy services to power economic and social development, worldwide. Today, many developing countries like Bangladesh are in the process of creating and updating policy, legal and regulatory frameworks necessary to attract private investment in clean energy, increase energy efficiency, and expand access. USAID works across all aspects of the energy sector to build strong systems that can power global economic and social development. USAID is also working to foster economic growth and improved management and resilience of natural resources within the Indo-Pacific region under the Asia EDGE initiative (Enhancing Development and Growth through Energy)1. USAID/Bangladesh believes that technological innovation and research and development in energy and power are important for social and economic growth, environmental conservation and energy security in Bangladesh and in the region.

PEER seeks to support research projects in the power and energy sector in order to fill knowledge gaps in the understanding of energy security in Bangladesh. The proposed applied research projects would be expected to build a foundation from which Bangladesh can scale up technologies, tools, and strategies for efficient, cost-effective and environmentally sustainable solutions in the energy and power sector. Proposed research projects must explicitly respond to, address, and inform opportunities for Bangladesh to increase the country’s energy security. Proposals that show a direct link to Asia EDGE will receive preference.

Research areas may include, but are not limited to:
  • Advanced energy tools and systems
  • Data driven tools for policy decisions
  • On- and off-grid renewable energy solutions
  • New and alternative energy solutions
  • Energy efficiency and conservation measures
  • Energy transmission and distribution systems and techniques
  • Energy subsidy and socio-economic impact analysis
  • Energy storage
  • Innovative and cost-effective procurement tools and methods
  • Enhanced utility management including reduced technical and commercial losses
  • Cross-border energy trading mechanisms
Duration of Project:

Projects may request up to $70,000/year. Projects ranging from one to three years in length resulting in the completion of the project by the end of the funding period will be eligible for consideration. Proposals received for projects greater than three years in length will not be considered for funding. Women are strongly encouraged to apply.
 
1See https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1861/July_8_Asia_EDGE_Factsheet.pdf for more information on Asia EDGE.