The Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) and Dhaka Electric Supply Company (DESCO) Limited on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to install, operate, and maintain a 150 kilowatt-peak (kWp) rooftop solar power system at BIDA’s headquarters in Agargaon.

The signing ceremony, held at the Investment Building’s conference room, was presided over by BIDA Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun.

The MoU was signed by BIDA Director Md. Maruful Alam and DESCO Company Secretary Engineer Mohammad Kamruzzaman on behalf of their respective organizations.

Under the agreement, DESCO will implement, operate, and maintain the system on a 9,105-square-foot rooftop area. The 20-year project involves an installation cost of around Tk 8.9 million, with an additional Tk 8.7 million allocated for maintenance and replacement over the project’s lifespan.

The solar system is expected to generate about 2.85 million kilowatt-hours of electricity over 20 years, worth approximately Tk 29.9 million.

DESCO will consume 90 percent of the power, while BIDA will receive the remaining 10 percent. Carbon credits earned will be shared equally between the two entities.

Work on the project is scheduled to begin with a tender call on October 1, 2025, and commercial operation is targeted by January 31, 2026.

The initiative supports the government’s renewable energy targets of generating 20 percent of electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and 30 percent by 2040.

This project will serve as a model for government institutions, encouraging similar initiatives nationwide, Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun said.

Earlier, in July interim government launched the National Rooftop Solar Programme to install solar systems in government offices, educational institutions, and hospitals, aiming to generate 3,000 megawatts of electricity by December 2025.

The programme is seen as a major step toward achieving the nation’s 30 percent renewable energy target by 2040.