“Utility-scale renewable energy transition in Pakistan”
The Policy Research Institute for Equitable Development (PRIED), a think tank working for Pakistan’s transition to clean energy organised a consultative session titled “Utility-scale renewable energy transition in Pakistan”.
During the session the experts in the field of energy urged the government to enhance renewable energy’s (RE) share in Pakistan’s energy mix to stabilize the power sector.
While speaking at the occasion Energy expert Suresh Kumar, Manager Commercial at Shanghai Electric Group, said that the country’s RE targets are just figures and even the projects initiated under RE Policy 2006 have not yet materialized. He urged the authorities to take this seriously and seriously work towards increasing the RE energy mix.
The experts at the session suggested that the government needs to focus more on energy generation through solar and wind rather than hydro power because these are more efficient as well as less disruptive for their environment. “The misplaced focus on hydro comes even though hydro projects have been notorious for cost overruns and delays. These projects are also connected to causing destruction to the Indus system and mass displacements of locals, as witnessed in the cases of Neelum-Jhelum and Tarbela Dams in the past,” said Zain Moulvi from Alternative Law Collective
