Solar Energy and Climate Change: Planning For a Sustainable Pakistan

Pakistan represents a culture that calls our planet ‘Mother Earth’. Energy consumption and production cause two-third of the Green House Gas (GHG) emissions. Therefore, Energy Efficiency (on demand side) and Renewable Energy (on the supply side) are considered the two pillars of sustainable energy movement. It also important to emphasize clean energy system and enhance energy efficiency as two prime mitigation strategies. 

It is expected that by 2022, 5.9 GW of coal-based thermal power generating stations will going to be taken off from service. Further, the coal-fired thermal stations totaling 16.8 GW which either do not fulfil the emission norms of Ministry of Environment Forests and Climate Change (MOEFCC) or due to low Plant Load Factor (PLF).

In the next phase of 2022-27, 25.6 GW of projects will be considered for retirement. The above withdrawals total to over 48 GW of generating capacity from the grid.

Karachi is reluctant to embrace futuristic technologies. State, which once exported power, is with a begging bowl now. We currently depends on the coal-based thermal power from other parts of the country, to meet its 2/3^rd of daily energy requirements.

During 2017-18, the net electricity consumption in the state stood at 21,259 MU. Out of this, only 5,505 MU (25.9%) were generated within the state through own hydel sources. The rest were procured through the Central Generation Station (CGS) pool and from Independent Power Producers (IPP), which are coal-fired thermal plants. A few of these plants are included in the list of thermal generators due for retirement in the next 5-10 years. This would leave Karachi to scout for other energy sources on a war footing.

The above findings lead us to conclude that Karachi must have a plan of power generation, exploring all means. It is also pivotal to establish sustainable development in a democratic way. It is suggested to construct Hydro Electric Projects from run-of-the-river projects. Many experts recommend mandatory Distributed Energy Resources (DER) through Solar Plants.

Besides emissions, this action on thermal plants further will save the country, another precious resource – Water. The scarcity of water is threatening shutdown of thermal plants.

• According to a study, 40% of the country’s thermal power plants are located in areas facing high water stress.
• Pakistan lost 14 TWhr of thermal generation due to water shortages in 2016 (i.e. 20% of the installed capacity)
• 70% of Pakistan’s thermal power plants will have high water stress by 2025

Freshwater consumption from Pakistan thermal utilities stood at 2.1 billion Cu mtr/year, which is roughly 20% of Pakistan’s drinking water requirement. Moreover, huge withdrawal of water is seriously obstructing agricultural and industrial growth in the regions where the power plants are located.

It would be only a matter of time, the supply of water to Karachi will reach minimum levels. The respective cities where these plants are located has to protect its citizens from water scarcity, agriculture, industry growth etc.

The object in the mirror is much closer than it appears!