The Sindh government has added 17 renewable projects to the national grid during the last one year as part of its efforts to transition to alternative sources of power.
According to officials, 12 wind power projects, three solar power projects, one solar hybrid green hydrogen project and one wind solar hybrid project have been added to the national grid.
They said that the government of Sindh is facilitating local and foreign investments for the implementation of mega projects based on renewable energy technologies like wind, solar, waste to energy and mini hydel (run of river).
Sindh province is blessed with immense wind resource. The wind corridor, which is recognised as one of the strongest wind corridors in the region, has good wind energy resources available throughout the year. The province receives an average of about 19 mega joules per square meter of energy throughout the year, which is a high level of solar radiation.
The agriculture and livestock sector of Sindh produces abundant amount of biomass in the form of crop residues and animal waste such as bagasse, rice husk and dung, much of which, is currently collected and used outside commercial economy as unprocessed fuel for cooking and household heating.
“The province has the potential to generate power through gas, petroleum, coal, wind, and solar energy,” Mehfooz Ahmed Qazi, Project Director of the Alternative Energy Directorate of the Energy Department, told WealthPK.
He said that the 55,000MW wind corridor located in Jhimpir and Gharo area stands as a vital resource for wind power generation in the region. Similarly, he said there is a vast potential to generate power through solar power. “Even we have an offshore wind corridor in the Arabian Sea, which is also located in Sindh,” he added.
Qazi also talked about the World Bank-supported initiatives, including solar parks, government building solarization and the dissemination of solar energy in rural areas. “We are providing electricity to those areas which are off-grid,” he added, noting that fossil fuel-based energy is becoming unaffordable due to high costs.
He also spoke about the Keejhar Lake solar project, for which Letters of Intent have been issued, and an environmental study and feasibility report are underway. He outlined a step-by-step process for an energy project, starting from land allotment and feasibility studies, followed by generation licensing, tariff announcements, and efforts to secure international funding.
Qazi said that renewable energy is the future due to its cost-effectiveness and environmental benefits.
About the future plans, he said that the objective of the provincial government is to generate 4,000MW through wind energy, 500MW through solar PV technology, and 100MW through solar thermal energy.
Additionally, the government plans to install 5-51MW municipal waste to energy plants in major cities depending upon the amount of waste available, set up biogas plants in major cities where potential cattle colonies/farms are available, and pilot the production of biofuels, including biodiesel, ethanol, and biogas.