Wind power is now the second least expensive source of electricity, following natural gas. Even though Bangladesh’s wind power potential was surrounded with skepticism in the past, several studies have showcased the country’s dormant prospects for generating electricity by leveraging both onshore and offshore wind power plants. 

According to the U.S.-based  National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Bangladesh possesses a substantially greater potential for wind power, particularly at a  hub height of 140 to 160 meters. In addition to having a 724-kilometer-long coastline, the country also has many small islands, each of which is capable of capturing the powerful winds that are generated in the country’s northeastern region, particularly during the winter season. Regions such as the Bay of Bengal, Kuakata, Sandwip, and St. Martin – have the highest potential for producing electricity from wind power.

The Bangladesh Power Development Board started a wind power project in Kutubdia, an island off the coast of Bangladesh, in 2006.  The wind project has the capacity to provide electricity for a population of around 12,000 inhabitants residing on the island. In 2008, another wind power plant with a capacity of 1 MW was established with the purpose of ensuring greater electricity coverage on the island.