In Bangladesh, battery-powered vehicles are quite popular, and they are now the cheapest mode of public transportation on local roads. Bangladesh began manufacturing experimental solar electric boats in 2012, a year before the rest of the world. Four different tiny solar electric boat types had been created and tested by 2016. The fourth boat was built with financial aid from the Bangladesh government's ICT division. Individual entrepreneurs and business companies had previously made electric boats available in other parts of the Western world. Five larger boats were built in Bangladesh's Chuadanga area in 2017 as part of a UNDP-funded initiative. Later, two more were constructed in Chittagong, one of which provided tourist services at a lake. These boats are performing admirably in Bangladesh, demonstrating the viability of such watercraft. Because these vessels have more area to put solar panels, they can use them to directly power the propulsion system. These boats, however, have yet to prove economically viable, in part because new technology takes time to build customer trust. It is obvious that more money should be spent on research and marketing for such vessels.

Preparing for a world beyond oil

According to recent studies, even planting a billion trees will not stop global warming. The only way out is to reduce emissions by increasing reliance on renewable energy. Despite the fact that Bangladesh has been one of the most severely affected countries on the planet as a result of climate change, it can only play a minor role in reducing emissions. Nonetheless, there are various reasons for the government to desire to lead the way in harnessing solar energy in the transportation industry. For starters, solar electricity has become extremely affordable for tiny applications. Surjokonna, the country's first solar boat, produced power at a cost of Tk1.5 per unit. Because charging batteries does not necessitate inversion, we only require appropriately constructed charge controllers. Bangladesh, on the other hand, has a large solar energy potential. We're in a great position to harness the Sun's power. Third, a world without oil is being imagined, and our own natural gas reserves are depleting. To generate electricity, we are expanding coal and LNG imports, which will exacerbate the climate catastrophe.