Solar panels: Sunny apricots in Skardu!

Solar plant installed in Skardu used to dry 10 tons of apricots .

Alternative energy is the rage these days, but what is Pakistan doing to stay in the game?

We’re using solar panels to dry our apricots! Yes indeed … Dr Shoukat Pervaiz revealed that a solar plant installed in Skardu was used to dry 10 tons of apricots which will now will exported to Italy for the very first time. Next target? Peaches! We may not be close to running a town on solar energy yet but hey, it’s a start!

And there will be many more to come …

The Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) is moving ahead with different research projects to explore alternate means of energy, says PCSIR chairman.

Dr Shoukat Pervaiz, who was attending a dinner ceremony at the industrial estate area in Multan, told newsmen that big projects included production of diesel and electricity from Thar coal, and experiments for preparation of solar cells, and separation of hydrogen from water to prepare fuel for vehicles.

He said that an experiment for 475 kilowatt power generation through using 300 kilogram coal in Thar has been conducted successfully and efforts were being made to upgrade it to make it more efficient. He added that a small plant has been set up with assistance from China to produce diesel from coal and the project would be expanded later in Thar.

He further said that work on a project to manufacture a solar tube well was in progress in Hyderabad under the patronage of PCSIR and more solar products would be prepared at this centre.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 29^th, 2011.