And now, in spring 2019, three visits and multiple meetings with stakeholders in the field of sustainability later, the prospects for a market for small wind turbines in Bangladesh seem more tangible.

Bangladesh is already advancing its transition to use less fossil fuel and focusing on sustainability, both in the private sector and its industries. Two-thirds of the area in Bangladesh consists of agriculture with crops of rice, jute, and tea which makes it an interesting potential market for sustainable energy. Bangladesh is one of the poorest countries in the world with a dense population and large areas lacking a steady energy supply. Seeing a potential market for household windmills and small wind turbines in Bangladesh seems solid and well-grounded. Hence Viking Winds undertook the first visit to Bangladesh in the fall of 2018 to have a closer look at the market possibilities.

During the three visits, Viking Winds had the possibility to explore the Bangladeshi countryside. Viking Wind was introduced to areas in Bangladesh that would benefit from a stable energy supply, such as the densely populated island Monpura in northern Bangladesh and Cox Bazar,  the largest refugee camp in the world with a dire need for a stable and sustainable energy source, as they shelter 1M refugees.

At the end of the third visit to Bangladesh, Viking Wind was hosting a business networking event at the Danish ambassador’s residence, with 50-60 stakeholders invited. The event provided an extra opportunity to present Viking Wind's products during a presentation, but there was also time for mingling with the guests, hopefully forging strong links to stakeholders in Bangladesh, who represent an interest in renewable and sustainable energy.

During this course of events, Samina Shahrukh, Senior Trade Advisor, and Jacob Kahl Jepsen, Commercial Counsellor and Head of Trade at the Danish Embassy in Bangladesh, have been of utmost importance in the preparations and introduction to Bangladeshi stakeholders with an interest in Viking Wind’s products. They have worked assiduously to set up numerous meetings with e.g. government institutions with the responsibility for sustainable energy, companies specialized in infrastructure and IT technology, NGO organizations, and the United Nations Development Program.

Viking Wind wrote about their first visit to Bangladesh in this article from September 2018.

Source: Viking Wind