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Pakistan setting up world’s largest solar park

Syed1

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ISLAMABAD: Minister of Climate Change Zahid Hamid has boasted that Pakistan is setting up world’s largest solar park of 1,000 megawatts as part of its plan to promote production of renewable energy in the country.

“Pakistan has also enacted the National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act 2016 to promote effective conservation and efficient use of energy,” he said while addressing a press conference on Tuesday.

The minister led a Pakistani delegation for participation in the COP22 Conference in Morocco recently, which provided an opportunity to highlight the significant achievements made to address the impact of climate change.

Although blessed, Pakistan’s politics remain an obstacle

Hamid said the world community was informed that Pakistan’s contribution to global warming was minimal as “we emit less than 1% of the annual global greenhouse gas emissions. Yet we are ranked amongst the top 10 countries that are most vulnerable to climate change.”

The world community was also informed that Pakistan faced several major risks pertaining to climate change including glacier melting, variable monsoons, recurrent floods, rise in sea levels, higher average temperatures and higher frequency of droughts.

Millions of people had been affected and a colossal damage was caused on a recurring basis, he said.



“These threats pose major survival concerns for Pakistan, particularly in relation to water security, food security and energy security,” Hamid said, adding these threats also had enormous adverse consequences for all socio-economic sectors, limiting the country’s ability to promote sustainable growth and development.

The minister emphasised that Pakistan as a responsible member of the global community had taken substantial steps, especially during 2016, to tackle the threat of climate change.

Pakistan producing more than 1,000MW of clean energy

He termed the launch of Rs2-billion Prime Minister’s Green Pakistan Programme, which would be implemented across the country, a historic initiative. “This will establish a high-level, policymaking Pakistan Climate Change Council along with Pakistan Climate Change Authority.”

The minister added Pakistan had developed the National Sustainable Development Strategy and had perhaps become the first country in the world whose National Assembly passed a unanimous resolution adopting the SDGs as its own national development agenda.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/1248697/pakistan-setting-worlds-largest-solar-park/
 
I recently saw a documentary on this park. Plenty of Germans and Chinese involved during the pilot stage. Hope we make this work. We have vast areas of unused deserts that receive over 250 days of sun in a year and can be easily used to meet our energy needs.
 
What happened to 1000MW Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park in Bahawalpur? Is it fully functional now i remember last time it was in news also just like Nandipur scandal. (Construction was started in 2014 and was expected to complete and start working by the end of 2016)
 
What happened to 1000MW Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park in Bahawalpur? Is it fully functional now i remember last time it was in news also just like Nandipur scandal. (Construction was started in 2014 and was expected to complete and start working by the end of 2016)

It's the same one... First they built a 100 MW pilot and now are expanding it to 1000 MW. I do not know of the time frames.
 
One of the world's leading manufacturers of Solar power convertors is a major client of the company I work for. I hope they get some good orders from India and Pakistan.
 
One of the world's leading manufacturers of Solar power convertors is a major client of the company I work for. I hope they get some good orders from India and Pakistan.

Our countries get so much sunshine it is a travesty we aren't making better use of it..
 
Punjab Announces Cheapest Solar Project, Costs 4 Times Less Than PMLN’s Solar Park

The government of Punjab has signed an agreement for the generation of the cheapest solar power in the history of Pakistan. The deal was inked on Thursday, under which private investors will set up a 100 MW solar power plant in Layyah district with a tariff of only 3.7 cents.

Punjab Chief Minister, Sardar Usman Bazdar, and Federal Minister for Energy, Omar Ayub Khan, were the chief guests at the signing ceremony of the agreement between the Punjab Power Development Board, Alternative Energy Development Board, and Zhenfa Pakistan New Energy Company.

While addressing the signing ceremony, Usman Buzdar said that Punjab has higher energy requirements than other provinces due to its population and developing economy.

Cheapest Energy Project
Buzdar said that the Punjab government is trying to get all the energy needs from its own resources under the Constitution of Pakistan. According to him, about 70% of the country’s electricity generation is used in Punjab.

Punjab pays 82% of the total revenue of the country from electricity.

CM Punjab lamented that the former government installed expensive power projects, which put a burden on the people. The PML-N government had signed a similar energy contract in Punjab at 14.1 cents per unit.

Unlike in the past, our government is moving towards sustainable sources of affordable electricity.

Educational and Health Institutions to Be Solarized
The Chief Minister said that schools, colleges, universities, primary health centers, and other government buildings will be shifted to solar power in phases. He noted that the work to shift 950 basic health centers in Punjab to solar energy is underway.

Punjab Energy Efficiency and Conservation Agency is providing technical advice for solar optimization of Lahore University of Engineering and Technology and other government institutions under the Department of Energy.

Energy Conservation Building Codes have been prepared for power saving in Punjab. By implementing these, the Punjab government is pursuing a policy of saving billions of rupees, he further added.

Buzdar said that the proposals to shift mega industrial units and projects like Orange Line Train to alternative energy sources are also being considered. There are many investment opportunities in the energy sector, the Chief Minister said, adding that the government is fully supporting the investors.

Speaking on occasion, Provincial Minister for Energy, Dr. Akhtar Malik, said that the Punjab government has signed a historic agreement.

In the past, the world’s most expensive solar projects were implemented in Pakistan, and the public treasury was ruthlessly wasted.

Dr. Akhtar said that so far, 8,000 schools have been shifted to solar power, and 15,000 more will be powered by solar energy in the near future.

https://propakistani.pk/2020/09/04/...ect-costs-4-times-less-than-pmlns-solar-park/
 
This is great news but question is why wasn't it done before?
 
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