Sweden to help in developing alternative energy

Will ask local companies to discuss opportunities with Pakistani firms.

KARACHI: Swedish Ambassador to Pakistan Lars-Hjalmar Wide on Thursday said that Sweden wants to provide every possible technical expertise in renewable energy and solid waste management to Pakistani industries and for that the Swedish embassy will soon invite its companies to Pakistan for possible joint ventures and business deals.

Talking to media after a seminar at Avari Towers, he said that China and India were using Swedish technology to produce electricity from renewable resources and solid waste. Pakistani industries, especially small and medium size enterprises, can also benefit from Swedish technologies, he added.

“Right now we are looking for possible collaboration in energy sector,” he said, “After this we will invite our companies to Pakistan to discuss business opportunities with Pakistani industries.”

The possible collaboration in energy sector will also increase bilateral trade between Sweden and Pakistan, he said, adding that the present Swedish exports to Pakistan were around 200 million euros and the imports were almost half of exports.

Leading industrialists from Karachi raised questions about the difficulties in acquiring funding for such projects. The Swedish envoy agreed with the businessmen that funding such projects were a challenge and that he will return to industrialists after discussing the funding issues with the Swedish government.

Honorary Consul General of Sweden in Karachi Alimohammad H Bashir said that the Swedish envoy will visit industries in Karachi to find out possible business opportunities between the private companies of both companies.

He also said that any improvement in the efficiency of the local industries will help the economy. The interest that local industries showed today in improving efficiencies and produce power through different means is commendable, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 1^st, 2013.

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