June 15, 2015
News
‘Allocations for renewable energy to ease energy woes’
APP
ISLAMABAD: Climate Change Ministry’s Secretary Arif Ahmed Khan said adequate funds for various renewable energy projects allocated in the new federal budget would help boost power generation from renewable energy sources, which are environment-friendly, clean and sustainable.
“Abundant renewable energy potential is available in the country, which has remained untapped for long due to various reasons. The financial allocations by the present government in the federal budget for 2015-16 will certainly steer the country’s energy generation towards climate friendly methods. It will also help increase the country’s reliance on renewable energy sources,” the secretary told media on Sunday.
Arif Ahmed Khan said that funds earmarked in the federal budget for several solar, wind, hydro and nuclear power projects would be a welcome step towards optimising the energy generation mix among oil, gas, coal, hydro, nuclear, solar and wind.
“Tapping into renewable energy sources will lead to a reduction in the country’s carbon foot-print, tackling environmental degradation, and putting the current trajectory of the country’s economic growth towards achieving sustainable development goals,” the secretary argued.
Quoting from the federal budget documents, he said that announcement of the interest-free loans to farmers for installation of solar tube-wells, zero import duty on solar and wind power generation equipment, 5-year tax holiday on the local industry involved in manufacturing of solar and wind power generation equipment, zero sales tax on locally-manufactured solar and wind power equipment are all glaring examples of the present government’s serious interest in promoting use of renewable energy.
“We must appreciate these environment and climate-friendly budgetary measures of the government, particularly the interest-free loans for solar tube-wells. Such measures will also boost local renewable energy industry, create new jobs in the sector and help reduce reliance of the people on an over-burdened national power grid. It would also reduce the agriculture sector’s carbon footprint and make the agriculture sector - mainstay of the economy - sustainable,” he stressed.
Arif Ahmed Khan said that it is also encouraging to note that allocations of Rs 1.5 billion for evacuation of power from wind power projects (200 MW) at Jhimpir and Gharo wind clusters and Rs 300 million for the Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park in Bahawalpur (phase-II) have also been made in the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) to boost wind and solar electricity generation.
He said that the present government’s decision to jack up spending for raising hydropower generation during FY15-16, beginning from July 1st, is also a welcome move, which would help optimise the country’s energy mix by increasing the share of hydropower in the overall power generation. The secretary said in the PSDP, allocations of over Rs 100 billion for various new and ongoing hydropower projects would yield direct and indirect economic, environmental and social benefits. He hoped that these projects would augment power generation from hydro, a clean and cheap source of energy.
Presenting a break-up of the budgetary allocations, he said that around Rs 52 billion have been set aside for Dasu Hydro Power Project, which would produce 2,160 MW of clean hydroelectricity, followed by Rs 21 billion for Diamir-Bhasha Dam and Hydropower Project with 4,500 MW of power generation capacity and eight million acre feet
(MAF) water storage capacity, Rs 11 billion for the Neelum-Jhelum Hydro Power Project with 969 MW power generation capacity, Rs 11 billion for the completion of Tarbela-IV Extension Hydro Power Project with a capacity of 1,410 MW of clean hydropower, Rs 5 billion for up-gradation of Guddu Power project of 747 MW capacity and Rs 1 billion for the Golan Gol Hydro Power Project of 106 MW capacity in Chitral. “In addition to the afore mentioned projects, the government also announced commissioning work on three hydro-power projects of a cumulative capacity of 2,793 MW as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor mega project,” he added.
Allocation for two nuclear power projects in Karachi of 2,200MW capacity and the Chashma Civil Nuclear Power Project of 600 MW capacity would also help turn up levels of power generation from nuclear sources, the secretary said and added that independent experts have already termed the power generation from nuclear sources as environment-friendly.
“Such hefty allocations for boosting electricity generation from hydropower, solar, wind and nuclear sources are a clear indicator of the government’s belief in environment-friendly energy generation that helps slow down climate change, protects environment and are also cheap, reliable sources of electricity generation,” he argued. The secretary said structuring solutions to the several environmental woes that the people face today, require a paradigm shift in the long-term so that energy production is environment friendly. “In this regard, renewable energy appears to be the correct pathway to be followed towards sustainable development,” he stressed.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk