The
smog in Pakistan is often very bad. According to the World Health Organisation
(WHO), smog causes around 1.6 million premature deaths in the country each year
and 7 million premature deaths worldwide.
Major
air pollution can cause lung disease and stroke, and these numbers are also testament
that curbing smog and employing a cleaner energy solution is imperative.
In
this context, researchers from the Climate Policy group at the Swiss Federal
Institute of Technology in Zurich have published a new study in the journal
PLOS One. The researchers stated that completely eradicating emissions from the
sectors like industry, power, transport and household will allow solar PV
systems in Pakistan to produce nearly 160 terawatts per year of extra energy by
2040.
Mercè
Labordena, Renewable energy researcher and lead author on the study stated that
China was the world leader in installing solar photovoltaics and at the same
time the country was also suffering from air pollution. It is reported that the
country’s air pollution stems from the burning of fossil fuels especially coal.
China has taken some strides in dealing with the air pollution problem.
However, there is still room for improvement.
Researchers
reportedly used a climate model and simulated to show how much more sun the
country’s solar panels would see in the case the government implemented
policies to curb air pollution. They found out that the provinces in the region
would benefit most from cleaning up the air.
Meanwhile,
the study has reportedly the first to put a dollar figure on the financial
benefits of improved solar productivity. And, Pakistan would have to spend billions
of dollars to curb its air pollution. On the one hand, limiting the amount of certain
elements streaming out of power plants is a partial solution, and the other
such technologies are expensive and also require power to run.
The
problem of air pollution is not just limited to Pakistan. Major cities like
Delhi and Singapore also experience the effects of smog according to a study
led by MIT research scientist Ian Marius Peters, who specialized in
photovoltaics.
The scientist reiterates that if the world increasingly adopted
solar, the panels themselves would trigger a positive feedback loop. And, he also
explained that the usage of solar energy would lead to cleaner air and more
generation of energy via solar panels leading to decreasing reliance on coal.
Read
More:
No comments:
Post a Comment