President calls for switching to solar energy

Says it is one of the cheapest sources of electricity generation

KARACHI: President Arif Alvi stressed the need to locally produce solar panels while attending the inaugural ceremony of a solar power project, titled Roshni Se Zindagi [Life from Light], by Hilton Pharma on Saturday.

The company aims to supply free electricity, generated through solar energy, to 10,000 houses in the rural areas of Pakistan.

Speaking on the occasion, President Alvi said that solar energy is one of the cheapest sources of electricity generation. He appreciated the initiative taken by Hilton Pharma, saying that the inception of the project was a "virtuous deed." Additionally, he also appealed to the private sector launch programmes for making solar panels locally.

"Why can't we invest money on solar panels if we can spend billions on mobile phones," he said.



The president also appreciated the role of G-Solar and Green Crescent Trust in propagating the use of solar panels for energy generations and emphasised that "as a nation, Pakistanis will have to make their children aware of the drawbacks of global warming."

While he concurred that the construction of water reservoirs harm the environment, the president pointed out that building them was the need of the time considering that power generation through water and run-of-the-river projects in Pakistan was a real possibility.

President Alvi said that Pakistan is the fifth most populous country in the world and yet people here are quite generous. Specifically talking about Karachi, he said that the metropolis has extended support to the entire country. 

Published in The Express Tribune, September 29^th, 2019.