KARACHI - A regime should be adopted in the region containing Pakistan where across the border energy trading especially in the field of alternative power should be allowed while following the present European energy model. This was the unanimous call of the 2nd International Wind Energy Summit as one of the demands contained in the resolution unanimously adopted and announced at the end of moot. The hydro-based power generation should also be included in the proposed regime for across the border energy trading, said the resolution.

 The Energy Update in collaboration with Sindh Government’s Energy Department, Alternative Energy Development Board, and other partners recently organized the moot. The Wind energy summit, attend by local and foreign energy experts, called for enhancing on urgent basis the contribution of renewable energy resources in the national energy mix currently being adopted to resolve power crisis of the country.

The summit expressed serious remorse that just 1.5 per cent of power generated in the country accounted for the present contribution of renewable energy sector in fulfilling national power needs. The summit demanded that this contribution should be increased to minimum 05 per cent as what should have already been achieved as per the targets and aspiration of the country’s renewable energy policy adopted more than a decade back.

 The moot noted with much satisfaction that Sindh had already achieved installed capacity of 788 Megawatts of renewable power generation while a matching more volume of wind-based power generation woud be available by next year meaning that Sindh province alone would contribute over 1500 MWs of wind-based power generation to national grid.

The moot demanded that all relevant agencies and authorities of federal and provincial governments including the power sector regulator should facilitate maximum utilization of potential of Jhimpir-Gharo wind corridor that would prove to be the hub of renewable energy generation in the country. The moot called for providing maximum facilities and assistance to local and foreign power sector companies either already working or willing to launch their renewable energy projects in Jhimpir-Gharo wind corridor. The moot called for immediately resolving all tariff-related issues of upcoming wind energy projects in the country as National Electric Power Regulatory Authority and other relevant agencies should speed up the process to adopt new tariff regime for wind power companies so that they could start operations without undue delay. The moot demanded that government should expeditiously complete power transmission projects so that wind energy projects being installed in Jhimpir-Gharo wind corridor should be provided connectivity to national grid on preference.

The summit said that concrete towers instead present metallic ones should be used for installing wind turbines in the country for maximum utilization of abundantly available wind resource in the country. More such indigenously developed technologies and resources should be utilized to maximize power generation in the country on basis of alternative energy sources. The summit demanded that possibility of offshore wind energy projects should be explored off Karachi’s coast as what is currently being practiced by Northern European countries.

While speaking as the chief guest in concluding session of the summit, Sindh Information Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said that Sindh government had been providing maximum assistance and cooperation to private companies willing to do solar and wind energy projects in the province. He said that Sindh government had been spending a total sum of Rs 07 billion to do several projects so that true potential of provincial could be utilized to generate up to 50,000 MWs electricity through conventional and renewable means. He said that Sindh had become the first province to form its transmission and dispatch company in power sector to facilitate upcoming projects in energy sector. He said that there was need to devolve more authorities and powers to the provinces in energy sector as per the spirit of 18th Constitutional Amendment so to find more viable indigenous solutions to resolve power crisis in the country. He said that Thar coal and power project being completed on expeditious basis showed complete resolve of Sindh government to do its best to bridge energy shortfall persisting in Pakistan.

Ends