AEDB focuses on wind energy production

Body chief says 3,000-3,500MW to be added by 2018

ISLAMABAD: The Alternate Energy Development Board (AEDB) has embarked upon improving the energy mix by adding 3,000-3,500MW of wind-based electricity to the national grid by 2018.  

“The system will have as many as 1,396MW of wind-based electricity by 2017 since 28 ongoing wind projects would be completed by then,” said AEDB Chief Executive Officer Amjad Awan. “Nine of these (capacity 477MW) have achieved financial close and are under construction.”

These projects include Sapphire Wind Power Company (50MW), Yunus Energy (50MW), Metro Power Company (50MW) Jhimpir, Tapal Wind Energy (30MW) Jhimpir, Gul Wind Energy (50MW) Jhimpir, United Energy Pakistan (99MW) Jhimpir, Hydro China Dawood Power (50MW) Gharo, Master Wind Energy (50MW) Jhimpir and Tenaga Generasi (50MW) Gharo.

“Currently, wind projects with generation capacity of 255.4MW are operational across the country,” Awan added.

“Fourteen projects (664MW) are at different stages of development and expected to be completed by 2017-18.”

He considered the reduction in power tariff for wind projects to 10.4 cents as an indicator of being a promising sector.

He was of the view that Pakistan has huge wind-power generation potential, which, if exploited properly, could become a very lucrative and feasible source of alternate energy.

“With our studies and surveys, we have identified wind corridors having power generation potential of 30,000MW,” he said. “AEDB has identified high potential regions in southern Sindh, Balochistan and Punjab.

“Some of the wind potential areas also have solar intensity; hence these regions may have both wind and solar power generation capacity which can be an added attraction for the investors.”

He informed that there has been a positive response from investors.

“Historically, Pakistan has been the pioneer in the energy sector,” he said. “We were the first to set up a regulatory authority and initiated power generation through Independent Power Producers.”

Published in The Express Tribune, November 20^th, 2015.

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