Alternative energy resources discussed

Solutions can help country overcome energy crisis

FAISALABAD: Addressing one of the most crippling national issues, speakers at an international workshop on Wednesday called for the promotion of alternative energy resources including wind, solar and bio-mass in a bid to become self-sufficient.

The three-day international workshop titled ‘Renewable Energy Technologies for Community Development’ was arranged by the faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) in collaboration with DAAD Germany.

UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan chaired the session and said that the country has tremendous potential to produce electricity through 81 million tons of bio-mass, 720 million kg of animal dung, in addition to using wind and solar power. “Through wind energy alone, 20,000MW electricity can be produced.”

Khan lauded the steps taken by the government to overcome the energy crisis. He said that the government was establishing the Punjab Bio Energy Institute at the UAF that will help promote bio energy.

Dr Uwe Richter from University of Kassel, Germany, said that renewable energy can also help fight the increasing level of pollution. “The first solar energy village titled Juhnde was established in Germany in 2005,” said Rickter. “Now the town produces twice the electricity it is consuming.”

Additionally there are currently 150 communities in Germany which are registered as bio energy villages, said Rickter.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 5^th, 2015.

Like Business on Facebook, follow @TribuneBiz on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.