POF division gets solar power plant

Will save Rs24.5m annually in electricity expenses

ISLAMABAD: In another milestone in the country’s renewable energy sector, a one-megawatt solar power plant started generating electricity at Wah Nobel Chemicals Limited on Tuesday - one of the largest captive solar power projects in Pakistan.

“This is a landmark moment and a step towards achieving self-sufficiency in energy by tapping solar power,” said Federal Minister of Defence Production Rana Tanveer Hussain after inaugurating the project.



Apart from supplying clean and cheap energy to Wah Nobel Chemicals, a division of Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF), the project may act as a catalyst for the industrial and corporate sector to tap the country’s renewable energy potential.

“Hence, I view it as a significant stride in the realm of solar energy,” remarked Hussain.

He said the march towards prosperity, revival of economy, growth of gross domestic product, creation of job opportunities and poverty alleviation could only be ensured through industrialisation and initiation of mega infrastructure projects.

“Development and industrialisation is the cornerstone of government’s policy and is being pursued vigorously,” he remarked.

He pointed out that Pakistan was lagging far behind in the global race for renewable energy technology and it must take benefit of sunlight for electricity production.



The Nobel Group has completed the project in collaboration with private-sector company Reon Energy Solutions. Under the project, completed in four months at a cost of around $1.5 million, Wah Nobel Chemicals will use solar power in its daytime shift and save approximately Rs24.5 million annually in electricity expenses.

While the project will lead Wah Nobel to self-reliance in energy production, it is also a leap forward towards promoting renewable energy solutions on an industrial scale.

The solar plant, with a useful life of 25 years, will annually generate 1.533 million kilowatt-hours (units) of electricity.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 24^th, 2016.

Like Business on Facebook, follow @TribuneBiz on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.