Irrigation costs in Bangladesh account for 43% of total agricultural costs. Minor irrigation is done with  1.22 million diesel pumps and more than 430,000 electric pumps. Replacing diesel pumps with modern and  efficient solar irrigation pump (SIP) systems is an appropriate and sustainable solution that reduces irrigators’  dependency on imported diesel fuel and enables a transition to clean energy. Introducing SIP systems will  enable Bangladesh to gradually displace the consumption of 1 million tons of diesel fuel annually, thereby  avoiding 3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e) every year. Several solar irrigation pilot  interventions have occurred in Bangladesh in recent years. Lessons learned in these pilot interventions include  the following: (i) the importance of adequately identifying targeted beneficiaries; (ii) the importance of good  site selection and system sizing; (iii) high investment costs and low uptake will lead to requiring subsidies;  (iv) high operation costs and low utilization plans occur after the Boro rice season; (v) sufficient provisions  must be made for operation and maintenance (O&M); (vi) farmers have a reduced interest in keeping SIP  systems after receiving grid connection; and (vii) there is a risk of theft and vandalization of equipment.