Going green: Travelling Expo explores alternative sources of energy

Participants informed about relationship between development and impact on climate.

MINGORA:

A week-long energy exhibition titled ‘Energy for a Sustainable World’ concluded on Saturday, leaving in its wake a motivated generation of future scientists.

The Travelling Expo, which was held from March 23 to 30 at Swat Public School, was a combined effort of the Pakistan Science Foundation, French Embassy and the Scientific, Technical, Industrial and Cultural Centre (CCSTI).

According to the organisers, the theme of this interactive session was to understand the relationship between energy, development and the effects our increasing needs have on the climate.

“We want the future generation to know how we can generate electricity from other resources to reduce the energy crisis our country is facing,” said Sher Ali Baz, Science Caravan’s Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assistant Director.

Baz said K-P has plenty of water to produce cheap hydel energy. “If wind mills are set up only in Kalam, they can generate ample electricity for the whole province,” he claimed, adding there is great potential for solar energy in the province as well.

Hundreds of excited students from various private and government schools visited the expo. “Science groups should be formed in every school which should organise such events and exhibitions so that we can learn practical stuff,” said Usama Zia, an eighth grade student. He was seen taking keen interest in the energy models displayed at the seminar.

Ihsan Ali Khan, a ninth grade student of SPS College, said, “Through this expo, we have learnt that Pakistan is rich in energy resources, which can be utilised in many ways. We also came to know of the various means of generating such as hydel, solar, thermal and wind.”

“Everything has been explained through models, which can be replicated in our areas very easily,” he said, adding he wishes to see more informative presentations from the organisers.

Swat Public School Deputy Director Adil Shah maintained such exhibitions facilitate learning and teaching. “Exposing children to practical ways of learning equips their mind with better problem-solving capabilities, which is the need of Pakistan.”

According to organisers of the Travelling Expo, United Nations (UN) Energy – a group of 20 UN agencies – is undertaking a new global initiative ‘Sustainable Energy for All’ which will engage governments, the private sector and the civil society to achieve three major goals by 2030. The goals are to ensure universal access to modern energy services, reduce global energy intensity by 40% and increase renewable energy use to 30%. The UN agencies will function under the leadership of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 31^st, 2013.