SHIKARPUR  -   Energy requirements are rising with continuous increase in the population. Government of Pakistan is struggling hard to cope with the rising energy deficit, but unfortunately the gap between demand and supply is widening day by day.

Keeping an eye over the gravity of the situation, Sukkur IBA University taking step ahead, has included clean and renewable energy at its campus by installing solar panels, which produce 964 KWp of clean and renewable energy, thus minimising the hazards to the already endangered environment, said Vice Chancellor Sukkur IBA University Prof Nisar Ahmed Siddiqui in an exclusive interview with The Nation on Friday. 

He said that, in order to produce clean energy for better environment, Sukkur IBA University in collaboration with the Government of Sindh has installed grid tied solar system having capacity of 964 KWp. The system was installed by the consultants ELAN Partners through the contractor Nizam Energy. It is safe to say that, the system is the largest solar systems in Sukkur city as well as in any university in Pakistan.

Besides providing green and clean energy, he said, the system provides an opportunity to the students to have hands on experience to learn the latest technology, especially students enrolled in renewable energy system Engineering program of the university. In this way the university will not only be able to produce more qualified engineers, he went on saying, just recently we have signed an agreement with the Sukur Electric Power Company [SEPCO] for supplying excess electricity to the utility through Net-Metering system, he informed.

He further told that, by producing around 1,50,000 units per month, Sukkur IBA University is saving around more than Rs.1 million per month while total cost of the project is Rs.116 million and its pay time is five years, he said adding, this system is capable of providing free of cost energy for more than 25 years. This project is supporting the environment with green energy initiative, emission of around 1300 tons of CO2 per year in the environment has been reduced, he informed.

According to him, by producing green energy, the university is saving 3,70,000 liters of petroleum fuel annually.

The Vice Chancellor suggested installing solar panels upon the canals, running parallel to Sukkur IBA University. These solar panels will serve dual purpose, one it will produce renewable energy and secondly due to cover, process of water evaporation will be slowed down, he added.

According to him, with this system, 74.76 KWp is being supplied to Academic Blocks-I, II & III, 53.97 KWp to the Administration Block, 79.8 KWp to the Mosque, Warehouse & Power House, 192.2 KWp to Girls Hostel I & II, 156.76 KWp to the Boys Hostel I & II, 69.16 KWp to the Knowledge Centre and 181.2 KWp to the Bus Parking Shade. And the total comes to 964 KWp.

Online monitoring of all the 40 inverters is being done on hourly basis. DC Cables from Helukable Germany have been installed for the system, which can work properly even in more than the temperature of 90 degrees Celsius.

The project was completed under the supervision of the Registrar Sukkur IBA University Engr. Zahid Hussain Khand, who ensures proper monitoring of the system on regular basis, he said.

Switching over to clean and renewable energy has become imperative to overcome the challenges of climate change. Solar and wind energy are the sources of clean and renewable energy and have become utmost important to save the environment, making Pakistan clean, green and prosperous.

Regarding a question pertaining newly established Shaikh Ayaz University Shikarpur, he said that master plan for SAU has also been finalised, It is worthwhile to mention here that the charge of newly established Shaikh Ayaz University Shikarpur has also been assumed by Professor Nisar Ahmed Siddiqui.