Pakistan hosted the 17th World Wind Energy Conference-2018 at Karachi from 28-29 November 2018. 600 participants from 30 countries attended the event. A technical tour to the wind farms in Jhimpir was arranged for the guests on 30th November. The event was organized in a local hotel under the Theme of “Re-Energizing the Developing world.” The First of its kind Global event WWEC2018 was organized with the support of Pakistan government which is highly committed to promote renewable energy. Global renewable Industry leaders representing wind turbine manufacturers, project developers, Public Officials, Financiers, Academia and civil society organizations from all across the world attended the event. The event has previously been hosted by Japan, Israel. China and many other strategically important countries.
The Event was focused on the opportunities offered by Modernization of wind power technology in particular and renewables in general to meet growing energy demands of developing countries like Pakistan without compromising on the risk of climate change. During the conference solutions were presented for easy transition towards renewables based energy systems that offer unique opportunities for economic growth and prosperity. During the event Sindh Energy Minister Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh who was the chief guest, announced to establish a grid company under public-private partnership mode, which will dedicatedly work to evacuate clean electricity being generated in the country’s only wind corridor in Thatta-Jhimpir area of the province. 23 wind energy projects had started functioning in Gharo-Jhimpir corridor of the province while another 30 to 40 such projects were under different stages of completion. Pakistan possesses one of the best wind and renewable energy potentials in the world. According to an estimate the coastal areas of Sindh Alone have the potential to produce more than 50,000 MW of Wind power
A permanent WWEA Office has been established in Pakistan which will provide information about the status and potential of wind power, including how to create appropriate regulatory frameworks, and will support the domestic wind sector in Pakistan to grow. WWEA Pakistan chapter will also work closely with international organizations and donor agencies. WWEA Pakistan will also collaborate with the Pakistani offices of the Global 100% Renewable Energy Platform and the International Solar Energy Society, under the development leadership of Air Marshal (Retd.) Shahid Hamid.
Renewable energy generation at present stands for mere 5 per cent of the national energy mix as this had to be maximally enhanced as electricity so produced was clean and economical, while it doesn’t require any imported source of fuel as completely indigenous energy resources would be utilized for the purpose. Speaking on the occasion, WWEA President Peter Rae hoped that 17th edition of World Wind Energy Conference would go a long way to explore the potential of renewable energy resources globally to ensure a sustainable and better world for people. So far 23 wind energy projects commissioned in Gharo-Jhimpir wind corridor of the province are generating 1184 MWs of clean electricity for the national grid. New wind corridors have been identified in Balochistan which can be utilized to expand the use of wind energy. At the same time all wind corridors have potential for solar energy making them perfect for developing wind-solar Hybrid projects. The next World Wind Energy Conference will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in autumn 2019.
