Power ministry approves bill for power production from bagasse

Initially, 1,000MW will be generated from sugarcane by-product.

ISLAMABAD: The Minister for Water and Power Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar approved the draft of the national policy for power generation through sugarcane bagasse and biomass, and asked the ministry to expedite the formal approval from relevant forum.

Presiding over a meeting on fast track development of bagasse-based power generation projects, the minister said that initially, 1,000 megawatts (MW) will be generated from sugarcane bagasse. Mukhtar said the government was utilising all the resources to end the energy crisis and power generation from alternative sources such as bagasse will be another step to towards that direction.

Mukhtar appreciated the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) for taking interest in bagasse-based power projects and assured to provide full support.

Earlier, the meeting was briefed by the Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) and the PSMA, saying that Pakistan was the fifth largest producer of sugarcane, with a yield of 50 million tons of sugarcane annually, of which 10 million tons of bagasse is extracted.

It was recommended that an upfront tariff will be given for fast track power generation projects.

The power producers shall have the option to offer energy to the respective distribution companies or to the Central Power Purchasing Agency. It shall be mandatory for the power purchaser to buy all the energy offered to it.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 8^th, 2013.

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