Experts urge renewable energy scale-up

National and international experts have stressed the need to scale up renewable energy (RE) and local manufacturing, mandating 50% local value addition in RE projects, increasing to 90% by 2028.

They shared these views during the closing ceremony of the 7th International Conference on Energy, Environment, and Sustainable Development, organised by Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MUET) Jamshoro.

Conference Chairman and former MUET Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Mohammad Aslam Uqaili said, "What a mess in the power sector! Instead of lamenting what cannot be done, we should focus on what can be done." He urged relevant institutions, policymakers, and authorities to act on the conference's recommendations to help the country and region overcome energy challenges.

Presenting the recommendations, Dr Nayer Hussain Mirjat, Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering, highlighted the urgency of scaling local RE manufacturing, modernising infrastructure, implementing regulatory reforms, and unlocking green finance. He called for developing a national RE manufacturing roadmap for PV (photovoltaic) panels, inverters, wind turbines, and batteries. He also urged the government to introduce performance-linked incentives (PLI) for research and development (R&D), targeting $5 billion in RE supply chain investments by 2030.

Professor Shafiq Ahmed from Newcastle University, UK, urged more effective use of solar and wind energy in Sindh, particularly in rural areas, pointing out that local involvement is crucial for project success.

Professor Peng Wang from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, China, proposed collaboration between Pakistan and China, and affirmed the Chinese Academy's readiness to partner with Pakistan's higher education institutions.