After sales service of Solar Home System (SHS) program

under IDCOL in Bangladesh

Md. Ruhul Quddus
Consultant, The World Bank
Solar Home System Program, IDCOL

1
 Infrastructure Development Company
Limited (IDCOL) SHS Program – at a Glance

IDCOL is a state-owned development financial institution dedicated to

promote/finance infrastructure and renewable energy projects in Bangladesh.

 Program Target : 6 million SHSs by 2018

 Program Achievement
 Number of Beneficiaries
 Power Generation
 Fossil Fuel Saving
 Job Creation
 IDCOL Investment
: 3.83 million SHSs by September’2015
: 17 million people
: About 125 MW
: 273,000 ton/year
: 75,000 people
: About USD 600 million

2
 SHS Installation Status

900000 853026
800000 724615
700000 643810 660000 660000 670717
600000 200000
Installation of SHS

500000 468978

400000
325067
300000
200000 169916 386946
100000 37151 69562 103301
11697 20635 27579
0
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Actual Installation Projected Installation

3
 Service measure requirement for POs

 Components of SHS should be approved by technical standard committee

of IDCOL.

 Warranty support against main components. (Panel : 20 years, Battery : 5

years, Charge controller & LED bulb : 3 years)

 Provide after sale maintenance support to households at least five years.

 IDCOL inspectors identify technical problems and POs have to resolve those
problems within two months after reporting. Otherwise IDCOL deduct all
financial support against the systems.

4
 After sales service of SHS under IDCOL

Customer • Battery service centre at local level

service • Available 3 % battery and 4 % charge controller at branch level
support • Available battery charger, tools at branch level

• Physical inspection by POs and technical inspectors of IDCOL

• Check SHS in every month at the time of installment collection
Technical
support • Train for POs staff & customer
• Provide training manuals, booklets/brochures on SHS system
operation and maintenance to customers

Lodges complain IDCOL Informs PO

Call Centre
Household Takes remedial measure PO

5
 SHS Inspection

Solar Panel Checking Measuring Battery Voltage Measuring S.G of Battery

Charge Controller Checking Load Checking

6
 Technical inspection report format
Reporting month:

Particulars PO Name

Number of SHSs inspected

Number of SHSs with problems

Number of SHSs without problems

Types of problems PO Name

Without structure in panel
Wrong panel facing
Low battery water level
Long cable connection
Shading on panel
Battery cell damaged
Faulty charge controller
Connection bypassing charge controller

7
 Next initiative for improving
after sales service

 Introduce dedicated testing lab.

 Bind agreement with suppliers & POs to ensure warranty & service.
 Promote technical testing kits at field level.
 Introduce common ERP for POs
 Introduce prepaid mechanism (synchronizing among battery, charge
controller & panel) for ensuring payment.
 Introduce remote monitoring system so that SHS performance can be
monitor centrally.