‘Panjgur, Chagai hold key to energy solutions’

Speakers identify financial, political issues as bottlenecks in tapping renewable power potential

Speakers and experts on Monday, pointed out that Panjgur and Chagai districts of Balochistan have the potential to produce thousands of megawatts of renewable electricity from wind and solar energy but financial, administrative and political issues were hampering in utilising their potential to resolve the energy crisis.

They claimed that Balochistan did not only have potential in energy sector but also had huge mineral resources for which it had no financial and technical knowhow. They added that the investors were reluctant due to political issues and bad law and order situation.

The conference titled, ‘Balochistan’s Renewable Energy Journey: Making accessible, affordable and sustainable power in the province’ was organized by the Institute for Development Studies and Practices (IDSP), an NGO working in the province since 1998.

Energy experts and officials of concerned authorities participated in the conference.

Rabia Mirani and Zubair Khan -- two young researchers working with ISDP on a draft renewable energy policy for Balochistan -- told the participants that the governments as well as private sector were highly reluctant to invest in the province’s electricity sector.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, September 5^th, 2023.