Quantifying solar potential on roof surface area of fishing trawlers in Chittagong Region in Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, approximately 24,140 kilometers of entire length is surrounded by 700 rivers including tributaries. Around 1,280,000 fishermen exist in the whole country, among them 770,000 inland and 510,000 marine fishermen whose income entirely depends on fisheries. Bangladeshi fishermen mainly use trawlers (fishing boats) for fishing purpose in the sea and river. Those trawler boats require electric power at night for fishing and lighting. Currently, in a trawler, electric power is supplied by a battery which is charged through a dynamo synchronized with trawler engine. These dynamos require diesel to serve electric power. To replace the conventional power system with green energy technology, in this paper, solar photovoltaic power potential available on the rooftop surface area of fishing trawlers in the Chittagong region in Bangladesh are measured and analyzed aiming to employ an MPPT-based solar photovoltaic system in the fishing trawler.