Bangladesh's 635 Local Supply Depots (LSDs) and 12 Central Storage Depots (CSDs) under the Directorate General of Food sit beneath vast warehouse rooftops — ideal for solar. This decision-maker's guide covers LSD/CSD load profiles, financial ROI, BPPA procurement steps, SREDA incentives, and how to initiate a solar project at your facility.
Bangladesh's Directorate General of Food (DG Food) under the Ministry of Food manages one of the largest public food storage networks in South Asia: 635 Local Supply Depots (LSDs), 12 Central Storage Depots (CSDs), and 6 modern grain silos — with a combined storage capacity exceeding 2.1 million metric tonnes. These facilities, spread across every district and upazila of the country, consume significant electricity for lighting, ventilation, fumigation, and administrative operations. Yet the large, flat warehouse rooftops of LSDs and CSDs — mostly concrete and masonry construction, often stretching 50 to 200 metres in unobstructed length — are among the most solar-ready surfaces in the entire government sector. This guide is written for DG Food district food controllers, Ministry of Food officials, and government procurement officers who want to understand how solar can work at their facility.
The DG Food food storage network operates on a two-tier structure. Local Supply Depots (LSDs) are district and upazila-level warehouses that receive procured foodgrain (paddy, rice, wheat) from farmers and millers, store it, and distribute it through the Public Food Distribution System (PFDS) — including OMS (Open Market Sale), VGF, and TR programmes. There are 635 LSDs across Bangladesh, typically comprising multiple concrete and masonry warehouse buildings with capacities ranging from 500 MT to 10,000 MT per facility. Central Storage Depots (CSDs) are the 12 larger hub facilities — located in divisional cities including Dhaka (Tejgaon), Chattogram, Khulna, Rajshahi, Sylhet, Barishal, and Mymensingh — that receive imported grain from ports and redistribute to LSDs. CSDs have larger concrete warehouse structures, loading docks, and administrative complexes with substantial rooftop areas.
| Facility Type | Count | Typical Capacity | Structure Type | Solar Potential |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local Supply Depot (LSD) | 635 | 500 MT – 10,000 MT | Concrete & masonry warehouse buildings | 50 kWp – 500 kWp per facility |
| Central Storage Depot (CSD) | 12 | 10,000 MT – 50,000+ MT | Concrete warehouse + admin block | 200 kWp – 2 MWp per facility |
| Modern Grain Silo | 6 | 28,000 MT per silo | Steel silo towers + flat concrete | 100 kWp – 500 kWp (admin + flat areas) |
The physical characteristics of LSD and CSD buildings make them exceptionally well-suited for solar. The large, flat rooftops of DG Food warehouses — predominantly concrete and masonry construction, often stretching 50 to 200 metres in unobstructed length — present vast, south-facing surfaces that receive 4.5–5.5 peak sun hours per day across Bangladesh. Unlike commercial factory rooftops that are often cluttered with HVAC equipment, water tanks, and chimneys, food godown rooftops have clean, open surfaces with minimal obstructions. The government ownership of these structures eliminates the lease-risk that complicates private rooftop solar projects. And critically, the electricity tariff for government commercial and office connections — currently BDT 13.01 per kWh (flat rate, LT-E category) as of the June 2026 BERC revision — makes solar savings substantial even at modest system sizes.
A typical district-level LSD with 3,000–5,000 MT storage capacity has the following electricity loads: LED/fluorescent lighting in storage halls and offices (15–30 kW); ventilation fans for humidity and temperature control in storage halls (20–50 kW); fumigation and pest-control equipment (5–10 kW); administrative office loads including computers, printers, and air conditioning (10–20 kW); water pumps for fire suppression and domestic use (5–10 kW). Total connected load is typically 55–120 kW, with average daily consumption of 250–500 kWh. A 100–200 kWp rooftop solar system on the warehouse rooftops would cover 70–100% of this load during daylight hours, with surplus generation exported to the grid under Net Metering Guidelines 2025 (Power Division, administered by SREDA).
| Load Category | Typical Connected Load | Daily Consumption |
|---|---|---|
| Storage hall lighting (LED/fluorescent) | 15–30 kW | 60–120 kWh |
| Ventilation fans | 20–50 kW | 80–200 kWh |
| Fumigation & pest control | 5–10 kW | 10–30 kWh |
| Administrative office (AC, computers) | 10–20 kW | 50–100 kWh |
| Water pumps | 5–10 kW | 10–30 kWh |
| <strong>Total (typical LSD)</strong> | <strong>55–120 kW</strong> | <strong>210–480 kWh/day</strong> |
Consider a 150 kWp rooftop solar system on a medium-sized LSD in Dhaka or Mymensingh division. At current market rates, the installed system cost is approximately BDT 95 lakh – 1.2 Crore (BDT 60,000–80,000 per kWp). Annual generation at 4.8 peak sun hours per day: approximately 185,000–190,000 kWh. At the government LT-E tariff of BDT 13.01 per kWh (effective June 2026), annual savings are approximately BDT 20–24 lakh (based on realistic self-consumption split and prevailing LT-E tariff). Simple payback period: 4.5–6 years. System lifespan: 25 years. Total savings over 25 years (accounting for 0.5% annual panel degradation, partly offset by tariff escalation): approximately BDT 5.5–7 Crore. If IDCOL financing is used (up to 70% of project cost at 6–9% interest), the annual cash flow becomes positive from Year 1.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| System size | 150 kWp |
| Estimated installed cost | BDT 95 lakh – 1.2 Crore (BDT 60,000–80,000/kWp) |
| Annual generation | ~185,000–190,000 kWh |
| Tariff (LT-E, June 2026) | BDT 13.01/kWh |
| Annual savings | ~BDT 20–24 lakh |
| Simple payback period | ~4.5–6 years |
| 25-year total savings | ~BDT 5.5–7 Crore |
| CO₂ avoided (25 years) | ~2,800 tonnes |
Under the Net Metering Guidelines 2025 (Power Division, administered by SREDA), all government facilities — including LSDs and CSDs — are eligible to export surplus solar generation to the grid and receive credit against their electricity bill. For a 150 kWp system on an LSD that generates more power than the facility consumes during midday hours, the net metering credit can meaningfully reduce the Food Ministry's electricity expenditure. The net metering application is submitted to the relevant distribution utility: BREB/Palli Bidyut for most rural upazilas (where the majority of LSDs are located), BPDB for district towns, DPDC for Dhaka south/central, DESCO for Dhaka north, and NESCO/WZPDCL in the north and west. Read our complete net metering guide →
Beyond rooftop solar, LSDs and CSDs typically have large open loading bays, truck parking areas, and grain drying yards. These open areas are ideal for solar shade structures — elevated steel frames with solar panels on top that serve a dual purpose: generating electricity while providing shade for workers and vehicles during loading and unloading operations. A shade structure over a 50-metre loading bay can generate 100–200 kWp while simultaneously reducing the heat load on workers by 15–20°C during summer months. For CSDs with large open compounds, ground-mounted solar arrays can supplement rooftop systems to maximise total generation.
| Installation Type | Typical Capacity | Best For | Estimated Cost (BDT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rooftop solar (LSD warehouse) | 50–500 kWp | LSD rooftops (district/upazila level) | 60–80 lakh per 100 kWp |
| Rooftop solar (CSD warehouse) | 200 kWp – 2 MWp | CSD rooftops (divisional hubs) | 58–75 lakh per 100 kWp |
| Solar shade structure (loading bay) | 50–300 kWp | Open loading areas, truck bays | 85 lakh – 1.1 Cr per 100 kWp |
| Ground-mounted (open compound) | 100 kWp – 1 MWp | CSD open compounds | 70–90 lakh per 100 kWp |
The Government of Bangladesh has set a target of 20% renewable energy by 2030 and 30% by 2040 under the Renewable Energy Policy 2025. Government-owned facilities are specifically targeted under SREDA's action plan. Key incentives currently available for government solar projects include: customs duty maximum 5% on solar equipment (valid until June 2028); VAT exemption on solar power generation (valid until June 2028); 10-year income tax holiday for clean energy projects (valid until June 2030); and IDCOL financing at 6–9% interest covering up to 70% of project cost. SREDA registration is required to access these incentives and to obtain net metering approval. Read our full SREDA incentives guide →
Before installing solar on any LSD or CSD, a structural assessment is essential. DG Food godown buildings are predominantly concrete and masonry construction — flat concrete rooftops are the most common type across both LSDs and CSDs. These can support standard ballasted or anchor-mounted racking systems with minimal structural intervention. Key checks include: roof load-bearing capacity (solar panels add 15–25 kg/m² dead load); roof surface condition and waterproofing integrity; existing penetrations and drainage; and wind load calculations for the specific location (coastal and cyclone-prone districts require additional analysis). Older buildings constructed in the 1970s–1990s may require a structural engineer's sign-off before installation. Vvon Technologies conducts a free structural feasibility assessment as part of the solar project scoping process for all government facilities.
Solar installations on DG Food facilities must follow the Public Procurement Rules (PPR) 2008 and its amendments. The standard procurement process involves five steps: (1) Feasibility and DPP preparation — the district food controller or CSD manager commissions a feasibility study and prepares a Development Project Proposal (DPP) for approval through the Ministry of Food; (2) BoQ and tender document preparation — a detailed Bill of Quantities (BoQ) and technical specification is prepared, ideally with input from a SREDA-registered EPC company; (3) Open tender via BPPA e-GP — the tender is published on the Bangladesh Public Procurement Authority (BPPA, formerly CPTU) e-Government Procurement (e-GP) portal; (4) Technical and financial evaluation — bids are evaluated on technical compliance (panel tier, inverter brand, warranty, SREDA registration) and price; (5) Contract award and SREDA registration — the winning EPC company registers the project with SREDA and applies for net metering. Vvon Technologies assists DG Food and Ministry of Food procurement teams in preparing accurate BoQs and technical specifications. Contact us to discuss your procurement →
Vvon Technologies Limited is a SREDA-registered solar EPC company based in Baridhara, Dhaka, with completed projects across Bangladesh's industrial, agricultural, and institutional sectors — including the 1,503 kWp Akij Agro Feed solar plant, one of the largest agro-industrial rooftop installations in Bangladesh. For DG Food and Ministry of Food facilities, we offer: a free site visit and feasibility report covering structural assessment, load analysis, system sizing, estimated generation, annual savings, payback period, and net metering credit projections; DPP and BoQ preparation support for BPPA procurement; SREDA registration and net metering application handling; turnkey EPC using Tier-1 panels (JA Solar, Jinko Solar) and certified inverters (Solis, Huawei, Growatt); and 5-year O&M support with remote monitoring. We understand government procurement processes and can work within BPPA (formerly CPTU) timelines. Request a free feasibility study for your godown → or explore our solar EPC solutions →