Government urged to exploit renewable energy sources
Will generate 1,111.44MW, purchase and implementation deals also signed. PHOTO: AFP
Experts have urged the government to exploit the untapped potential of renewable and eco-friendly energy solutions to manage its growing energy crisis.
They said that as Pakistan was facing a severe natural gas shortage for the last couple of years, it has started relying on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), however, the government needed to explore other energy sources to save the environment. There are other green energy options like solar and wind that can provide cheap environment-friendly energy sources and the country needs to go for these options.
This was the crux of one of the two reports "Gas Monitor —Pakistan & Tabeer LNG Terminal, Socio-Economic & Environmental Analysis” launched by the Indus Consortium held about the gas provision as an energy source in the country at a ceremony here on Friday, said a news release. The reports' launch was attended by representatives of academic institutions, members of GROW Green Network, which is an umbrella of environmental organizations of Pakistan working for the promotion of renewable energy, independent researchers, member of the renewable energy coalition Pakistan and the alliance for climate Justice and Clean energy.
Sharing findings of the Gas Monitor - Pakistan report, Dr Amanullah Mahar, Director, and Center for Environmental Sciences, University of Sindh, Jamshoro, said that since LNG, fossil gas is a very high carbon-intensive fuel and cannot be called “transition” fuel source to a cleaner energy system. He explained that fossil gas (methane) can be leaked from the re-gasification, transport, and consumption and processing of it. After carbon dioxide (CO2), methane is the second most abundant anthropogenic greenhouse gas and is responsible for 20% of worldwide atmospheric emissions.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 26th, 2022.