Enhancing Energy Resilience through Reducing Energy Losses from Solar Home Systems (SHS) in Coastal Bangladesh

Since 2009, Solar Home Systems (SHS) have been playing a significant role in accessing electricity in poor households, particularly at the remote coastal areas in Bangladesh. A total of 60,37,689 SHS have been installed which are supposed to generate approximately 263.79 MW electricity as per the database of SREDA (2024). However, the present situation of SHS is very poor. There are several known factors contributing to significant energy loss such as poor-quality equipment, wrong installation of PV, poor wiring, using traditional battery, etc. This study investigates these factors to identify energy loss from individual parts of existing SHS, and determined how much total energy, approximately, is being lost. The study also suggests solutions that can reduce energy losses and strategies to enhance energy resilience in the remote coastal communities of Bangladesh. The findings indicated the use of traditional batteries for energy storage of SHS as a common issue. These types of batteries were not only short-lived and harmful for the human and environment but were also responsible for significant energy losses. This study compared LiFepo4 battery as an alternative to traditional batteries to determine potential energy loss. Overall, the study looked for ways to reduce energy loss and enhance the sustainability of SHS which will ultimately ensure energy resilience.