A solar panel at every residential unit would save around 3,000MW of electricity STOCK IMAGE
Terming energy crisis the biggest hurdle in the way of industrial and economic growth, experts have underlined the importance of developing the habit of energy conservation by switching to alternative energy resources, primarily solar technology.
“Efforts so far made by the government to generate more electricity will only apply brakes and not reduce the shortfall in the next two years, therefore, consumers should switch to solar energy solutions,” said Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers in Pakistan (IEEEP) President Mohsin M Syed while talking to the media here on Wednesday.
Syed, who had previously established industrial estates at provincial and national levels, suggested that solar technology should be adopted in all areas including residential, industrial and agriculture sectors. That would not only make these sectors energy-efficient, but would also reduce load on the national grid, he said.
“There is an energy shortage of 500-700 megawatts in the country. In order to tackle power shortages, shifting towards solar energy is the key.”
He stressed that a solar panel at every residential unit would save around 3,000MW of electricity and the industries after installing 100 to 500-kilowatt systems would reduce load by approximately 2,000MW from the system.
Similarly, in the agriculture sector, if 100,000 tube wells run on solar panels, it will reduce the load by up to 2,000MW from the national grid.
“Since solar solutions are quite expensive, the State Bank of Pakistan should encourage commercial banks to disburse solar loans,” Syed suggested. “Since this technology is at the initial stage in Pakistan, the prices are high. Later, when the turnover reaches a certain level, the prices will drop and the country might also start manufacturing it locally.”
Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park former chief operating officer Abdul Jabbar Khan, on the occasion, said the Punjab government had set an example by initiating a pilot project of 100MW solar energy at the Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park. The project is currently going through the testing phase and will be inaugurated soon.
“After the completion of pilot project in just 225 days, work on an additional 900MW project is under way,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 9th, 2015.
Like Business on Facebook, follow @TribuneBiz on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ