InnovateUK Funded Technology Demonstration

Apr 2020 - Jul 2021, £300k

Partnership with University of Glasgow and J&C Ltd.

Tankabati, Bangladesh

Funded by Innovate UK, in Q3 2021 we completed the demonstration of our innovative solar hydro microgrid in Tankabati, Bandarban, CHT, Bangladesh.

The system is in trial for almost a year, providing electricity to approximately one hundred households, shops, schools, community clinics, and religious institutions.

The system has been hailed greatly by locals and their daily life improved significantly such as lighting for longer evening hour and enjoying entertainment television). In addition, their economic activities increased significantly such as using fridge for storing vaccination & other critical medicines and selling ice-cream and cold drinks etc.  

InnovateUK Funded Feasibility Study

Dec 2021 - Mar 2022, £30k

South Asian Expansion

In Q3 2021 we recieved approval and financial support for an investigation into the commercial viability of our business in similar regions to Bandarban, the site of our demonstration plant. 

Throughout Q1 2022 we will be developing our network throughout Bangladesh and Nepal so as to communicate the value of our product, identify candidate villages, and win contracts to begin developing sites.

Both countries hold a sizeable proportion of unelectrified rural peoples while being blessed with considerable renewable energy resource & institutional support for RE projects. Nepal's hilly terrain is particularly well suited to our technology, while Bangladesh has some of the greatest solar energy potential in the world.

GCRF Funded Preliminary Study

Sep 2018 - Jun 2019, £27.6k

Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh

In 2018 SEMWaves obtained an InnovateUK grant to undertake a feasibility study in the Rangamati region of Bangladesh. In collaboration with the University of Glasgow, surveys were conducted into the energy usage habits of rural villagers - most of whom were owners of Solar Home Systems (SHS), which are often seen as a low cost alternative to microgrids.

The study unveiled widespread dissatisfaction and disillusionment with SHS, and a strong desire for alternatives.