Alternative energy: AEDB plans to enhance energy mix by 2018

Wants country to move ahead on wind, solar-based projects

ISLAMABAD: The Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) has embarked upon an ambitious plan to enhance the energy mix up to 20-25% by adding 3000-3500 megawatts of wind-based electricity to the national grid by 2018.

“Out of this, as much as 1,396 megawatt wind-based electricity will be included in the system by 2017 as the AEDB would complete several projects initiated for alternative power generation,” said AEDB Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Amjad A Awan.

He said currently, wind projects with 255.4MW power generation capacity were operational across the country. “Another 28 on-going wind projects of 1396.4MW capacity would be completed by 2017 and would play a major role in overcoming the energy crisis,” he said, adding that nine out of those 28 projects (477MW) had achieved financial close and were under construction.

He further said that strategies had been devised to include 1% energy through the alternative sector. “However, we aim to raise it up to 20-25% by 2018.

“The power tariff for wind power projects has been reduced to 10.4 cents which indicates that this could prove a promising sector for future investments”.

Awan said Pakistan was naturally gifted in alternative energy resources, as identified by mapping assessment of wind, solar and biomass in the country through ESMAP’s (World Bank) assistance. “The AEDB has identified high-potential regions including southern Sindh, Balochistan and Punjab where electricity generation through wind has promising potential.

“Some of the wind potential areas have solar intensity, so in such regions both wind and solar energy could be generated simultaneously and this may also be very attractive for the investors,” he pointed out.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 24^th, 2015.

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