Solar initiatives

A weakened economy, high demand and lack of renewable alternatives among other things have led to a severe energy crisis in the country. This crisis is currently being curtailed through sporadic lockdowns for electricity preservation — a short-term solution that has serious economic ramifications. The population continues to grow annually and scores of people are increasingly shifting to urban localities in search of work.

The rising cost of fuel imported to generate electricity means high cost for both consumers and the government coffers. Therefore, developing a long-lasting, sustainable plan seems to be the wisest option. It is a relief to see that the government has identified this gap and now plans to launch solar projects of up to 14,000 MW — out of which projects of 9,000 MW are to be executed on a priority basis. The project itself will be cost-effective due to tax incentives on solar panels. Then, once the project is tried and tested, it will help generate cheap electricity in an eco-friendly manner, in turn lowering the burden on fuel imports as well as the energy sector. It is even more heartening to see that the Prime Minister called for giving priority to Balochistan in the provisions of solar systems as they have long been suffering from electricity shortage.

In order to make this more sustainable in the long-run, the government can go a step further by introducing residential solar units and loaning them off to consumers. This will help citizens pay off the loan with ease through an installment plan and at the same time will allow the government to generate some revenue for reinvestment, and so on. The brewing problems of the country feed of off each other. Once we achieve sustainability in major sectors, moving forward towards a clean, green future where renewable energy is at the core will be much easier.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, August 15^th, 2022.

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