Experts call for harnessing renewable energy in Pakistan
WWEC2018 to be held in Karachi NEW DATE: 28-30 November 2018
Islamabad/Bonn, 30 November 2017 (WWEA) – Energy experts have stressed the need to implement 18th constitutional amendment for harnessing renewable energy resources to meet growing energy needs in Pakistan without aggravating climate change concerns. They were speaking at the “National Renewable Energy Dialogue” organised by the World Wind Energy Association (WWEA) in collaboration with Heinrich Boell Stiftung (HBS) here on Wednesday.
Speaking on the occasion, German Ambassador to Pakistan Martin Kobler said: “Pakistan need to create more economic zones but it must take into account environmental factors, adding that renewable energy has to be at center of the agenda for sustainable development. The economic growth must be delinked from carbon emissions which is important for the survival of our planet.”
HBS Acting Head of Asia Department Jost Pachely discussed German Energy Transition (Energiewende) highlighting how Germany is moving away from coal-fired and nuclear power plants to renewable energy.
WWEA Policy Analyst Zeeshan Ashfaq presented the preliminary findings of the policy paper titled “Governance of Renewable Energy in Pakistan: 18th Constitutional Amendment and Looking Ahead” saying: ”The 18th amendment has created various issues pertaining to the roles and responsibilities of federal and provincial authorities. We suggest that Pakistan develops an integrated energy plan by taking on board both federal and provincial entities.”
WWEA Honorary Vice-President Air Marshal (retd) Shahid Hamid: “We need to have a uniform policy at the national and provincial levels to scale up renewable energy deployment in the country. In order to accelerate this, I am pleased to announce that the 17th World Wind Energy Conference will be held in Pakistan in April next year wherein wind energy experts from across the globe will participate.”
Alternative Energy Development Board Director Policy Syed Aqeel Jafri said: “The Board has been providing one-window facilities for promotion of renewable energy in Pakistan, adding more efforts will be made to add wind and solar energy to the national grid through a competitive regime.”
Stefan Gsänger, WWEA Secretary General: “Pakistan is a country which can benefit tremendously economically and socially from the global switch to renewable energy. We are very pleased that we can contribute to accelerate this switch based on our international experience. May Pakistan become a showcase for the world!”
While chairing the session on “Renewable Energy in Provinces – Post 18th Amendment”, Renewable Resources (Pvt) Ltd CEO Dr Irfan Afzal Mirza said: “Provincial energy departments are struggling to develop renewable energy at scale as the electricity sector had remained under the federal government before the amendment.”
Representatives from four provincial energy departments said that provinces have huge potential of renewable energy but there is need to devise coordinated mechanisms between federal and provincial governments to tap into that potential.
WWEA, an international non-profit organization headquartered in Bonn, Germany, is working in cooperation with various government and international agencies to promote wind energy uptake worldwide.
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