Renewable Energy in Pakistan

Solar system in Pakistan has become affordable as compared to conventional electricity. Renewable energy projects are now starting to compete with conventional power, proving they can replace conventional power in many countries, especially Pakistan.

Pakistan has set in motion a plan this week to boost the share of its electric power that comes from renewables to 30 percent by 2030, up from about 4 percent. The targets in the newly announced policy are a 20 percent share of renewables in installed capacity of Pakistan’s power mix by 2025 and 30 percent by 2030.

This not only include wind and solar power, but also geothermal, tidal, wave and biomass energy. With boosts in hydropower capacity expected as well, the shift could bring the share of clean energy in Pakistan's electricity mix to 65 percent by 2030.

However, the legislation leaves in place plans to build seven more coal-fired power plants as part of the second phase of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor project - something that could impede scale-up of renewable power.

The new national renewables policy, approved by the prime minister's cabinet in December, was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic and as negotiators tried to resolve disputes with individual provinces.

Now, the resolution of those disputes opened the way to "unleash Pakistan's full potential" for renewables, according to Asad Umar, federal minister for planning and development.

Shortage of energy is not new, successive Pakistani governments have pursued private sector investment in power production, offering lucrative returns backed by sovereign guarantees.

Power cuts and scheduled outages, known as load shedding, in urban areas were sharply reduced from about 12 hours a day previously to only occasional outages by mid 2018.

Despite the progress, seasonal production gaps and distribution woes remain. However, better than 2017, where prolonged power outages hit the country’s industrial production.

New investment in renewable energy is also expected to come from private investors, with potential suppliers bidding in annual auctions and low-tariff proposals winning.

Pakistan to Boost Renewable and Continue Coal Expansion

According to Syed Aqeel Hussain Jafry, policy director for the government's Alternative Energy Development Board, “Mix of renewables will be included mainly wind and solar power, plus geothermal, tidal, wave and biomass energy.” 

Pakistan has devised a strategic plan this week to boost the share of its electric power from renewables to 30 percent by 2030, up from about 4 percent today. With boosts in hydropower capacity expected as well, the shift could bring the share of clean energy in Pakistan's electricity mix to 65 percent by 2030, said Nadeem Babar, head of a task force on energy reforms in Pakistan.

Syed Aqeel Hussain Jafry, policy director for the government's Alternative Energy Development Board, stated that the targets in the newly announced policy are a 20 percent share of renewables in installed capacity of Pakistan’s power mix by 2025 and 30 percent by 2030. He also said that the policy represented a significant shift from the past, when investors approached the government with individual projects.

This include mainly wind and solar power, but also geothermal, tidal, wave and biomass energy, he said.

However, the legislation leaves in place, plans to build seven more coal-fired power plants as part of the second phase of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor project - something that could impede scale-up of renewable power, warned Zeeshan Ashfaq, a solar and wind energy developer in Pakistan.

Similarly, according to Ashfaq, managing director of SOWITEC (Solar Wind Technology) Pakistan, "A coal pipeline of around 4,000-5,000 megawatts will not provide much space for renewables.”

The new national renewables policy, approved by the prime minister's cabinet last December, was delayed due to coronavirus pandemic and negotiator’s efforts to resolve disputes with individual provinces.

But Asad Umar, federal minister for planning and development, said on social media the resolution of those disputes now opened the way to "unleash Pakistan's full potential" for renewables.

Reorganized sector

Power cuts and scheduled outages, known as load shedding, in urban areas were sharply reduced from about 12 hours a day previously to only occasional outages by mid 2018. Up until 2017, prolonged power outages hit the country’s industrial production. Hobbled by decades of energy shortages, successive Pakistani governments have pursued private sector investment in power production, offering lucrative returns backed by sovereign guarantees. Despite the progress, seasonal production gaps and distribution woes remain.

New investment in renewable energy is also expected to come from private investors, with potential suppliers bidding in annual auctions and low-tariff proposals winning, said Nadeem Babar, chair of the energy task force and now special assistant to the prime minister. 

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Incorporating solar harvesting into the side of buildings could enhance energy sustainability

If builders could start focusing on renewable energy and harvesting it into the siding of a building, the amount of energy from the grid that a structure would need may significantly decrease.

In research published recently in Renewable Energy, Diana-Andra Borca-Tasciuc, a professor of mechanical, aerospace, and nuclear engineering, along with his team of researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, demonstrated the potential of wedge-shaped luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs). These efficient modular solar units could easily be hung on the side of a building.

 

What LSCs are made up of?

The LSCs used in this study are made of transparent plastic with a film of photo luminescent particles on the back, similar to those used in LEDS. Solar cells mounted on the larger edge of the LSC convert energy captured from the sun into electric power.

Previously, this unique shape and construction had only shown promise in theory. In this research, the team took that a step further and tested how these LSCs could function within the lab. The way these devices capture and concentrate sunlight enhances the power that is produced by each unit of surface area within a solar cell.

 

The team is now looking to optimize the shape of the LSC and is exploring ways it could engineer surface properties to more efficiently capture and retain the light entering the device.

 

The researchers also used light data from the field to help predict annual energy production if the LSCs were to be hung on walls. Based on data from Albany, New York, and Phoenix, Arizona, the annual energy production predicted for these devices was up to 40% more than the annual energy produced by solar panels, when both are installed vertically.

 

According to Borca-Tasciuc, this technology is not meant to replace solar panels, it expands the capacity to efficiently harvest solar energy in the built environment. It works well for vertical wall applications where a solar panel does not perform as well.

 

Moreover, Duncan Smith, a doctoral student in mechanical engineering at Rensselaer said, “As the world transitions toward carbon neutrality, using vertical surfaces effectively for solar power harvesting will be a necessity for the solar industry.”

 

"Particularly in urban settings, the roof area of taller buildings is usually dedicated to HVAC equipment and cannot be used for solar panel installations. In these same buildings, however, there is extra room on the walls."

 

The research team also worked with undergraduate students who were completing a capstone project through the Multidisciplinary Research Laboratory at Rensselaer, a space that provides real-world experiences for students in preparation for their future careers.

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Activists Slam Use of Coal for Power Generation

Activists have recently emphasized the need of renewable energy in Pakistan and highlighted the harmful effects of 'Coal-mining.

The Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) first online rally on Wednesday, demanded to switch to alternative renewable energy solutions and suggested an end to the use of coal and other fossil-based fuel in power plants. Addressing the rally, PFF chairperson Muhammad Ali Shah said that coal power plants established on Sindh's coastal belt were a threat to the environment.

 

He added that they were unable to come out on the streets to protest for their cause due to the coronavirus pandemic, but they would continue to raise their voice through online platforms.

 

The online rally was attended by people affected by the power plants and the members of civil society from Pakistan as well as from abroad.

 

It is pertinent to mention here that reserves with 175 billion tonnes of coal had been found in Thar. However, coal mining is not favorable for either humans or the environment. Moreover, Gorano reservoir had displaced several people, their pathways and grasslands.

 

Moreover, water schemes were developed to provide water to run the Thar power plants, which were also harming people and the environment.

Shah reiterated that two dams had already been constructed at Nabisar and Vejhiar, while two others were also being developed and would be connected through a 62-kilometre long pipeline. Water for these schemes would be taken from the Makhi Farsh canal, which was at the tail end of Nara Canal, he explained.

 

"The residents of that area already do not receive water for agriculture. This withdrawal of water will further affect the area," he added.

 

Many activists opined that Pakistan could generate 300,000 megawatts of energy through windmills and thousands of megawatts through solar means. It seems that like that they are not against coal-powered plants, but want the promotion of alternative sources of renewable energy as well.

 

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