The govt will develop a wind project at Kallar Kahar that will produce 8MW of electricity. PHOTO: FILE
LAHORE:
The Punjab government has selected 11 sites for the production of electricity from five alternative and renewable energy sources including solar, coal, biogas, biomass and wind and will woo the private sector to invest in these projects, a government official says.
A significant number of interested investors were expected to inject capital into these ventures and some had already been issued letters of interest by the government for initiating civil works and import of machinery, the official, who was aware of the developments, told The Express Tribune.
These projects will produce 358 megawatts of electricity, of which 200MW will come from four coal-based power plants, 140MW from solar plants, 3MW from biogas, 8MW from wind and 10MW from biomass.
According to a study conducted by the provincial government in association with interested investors, Cholistan enjoys the potential to produce 130MW of solar power and a site in the suburbs of Kasur has the capacity to produce 10MW from the same source.
For coal-fired projects, four sites have been identified – one each in Katha Sughral in Khushab district, Choa Saidan Shah Chakwal, Lila Pind Dadan Khan and Malikwal. Each of these will produce 50MW of electricity.
The government will construct two biogas plants on the outskirts of Lahore, one with a capacity of 2.5MW in Gowala Colony, Rakh Chand Rai and another of 1.5MW in Harbanspura.
The wind project will be developed at Kallar Kahar that will produce 8MW of electricity.
The biomass plant will be installed in any city producing a huge quantity of wheat and sugarcane as this will consume the raw material of these crops for the production of 10MW.
In 2011, the Punjab government established an independent energy department with a vision “to utilise all available resources in the province to provide affordable energy to all segments of the provincial economy through increase in generation and conservation.”
The province has also set up the Punjab Power Development Board to facilitate private sector investment in the power sector.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 16th, 2013.
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COMMENTS (5)
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@Middle Class People: Exactly!
Moreover, out of this 350 MW, 200 MW power will be generated through coal. Is coal fired power generation an alternative source of energy for Team ET?
ET Please ask your reporters/editors to follow some credible news sources about alternate energies before writing such non-professional pieces.
Energy produced from coal cannot be termed as renewable energy and pakistan should focus more on wind energy rather than solar because its cheaper than solar energy.
title says it all
News Report and annoucement leave the following basic questions unanswered :
What is the total potential for each of the Alternative Energy Options ?
To what extent will it plug the current gap ?
What is the cost of each unit ?
Do the consumers get any relief in power tarrif and rates or the investors will pocket it all?
Is government considering to incentivise the domestic / commercial / industrial consumers to invest in self power generation through solar etc. ?
Isn't the electricity they are going to produce the 'alternative energy'? Shouldn't the title read: Punjab to produce over 350mw from alternative sources? Am I missing something?