'US committed to address Pakistan's energy needs'

The US acting ambassador and Charge d'Affaires, Peter W Bodde, has said that the US government is committed to address Pakistan's energy needs and it will extend all possible support for power generation.
He was the chief guest at a symposium organised by the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) in collaboration with South Asia Regional Institute of Energy, USA and SCCI. The symposium covered all sources of energy such as renewable energy roll out-wind and solar resource maps for Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Peter said US was fully aware of Pakistan's growing power demand and Bush administration was already working closely with Islamabad to enhance co-operation in energy sector. Chairman Alternative Energy Development Board, Shahid Hamid, said the government was focusing on development of alternative renewable resources of energy to supplement indigenous supplies in a cost-effective manner. The energy demand had increased due to economic growth.
Advisor to the minister of energy, Afghanistan, Amin Munsif said the maps would provide the required knowledge to utilise energy resources in the country.
Vice President FPCCI Raja Ahsan Farid, USAID Pakistan mission director Anne Aarnes, advisor to the Afghan Minister of Energy Amin Munsif, and USAD South Asian Initiative for Energy (SARI/E) regional co-ordinator Robyn McGunkin also addressed the inaugural session of the symposium.
Vice President Raja Ahsan Farid said global competition and robust demand generated at the local level it was essential to attain energy at affordable cost.
He said that Pakistan had been facing acute shortage of electricity while demand had increased by 10 percent to 12 percent per annum. FPCCI former president, Tariq Sayeed, said potential of 248,000 MW identified in Pakistan for wind and solar energy and it needs to be tapped up in true perspective. The mapping exercise for both Pakistan and Afghanistan was completed in April 2007. The maps provide high-resolution information on the solar and wind energy sources, in the region, to locate and design wind and solar energy in the two countries.
The symposium discussed ways for the optimal installations and use of the maps for expediting development of renewable energy resources in both countries. FPCCI leaders Tariq Sayeed, Iftikhar Ali Malik, Munazir A Nasir, Zubair Malik, Munawar Mughal, Rehmatullah Javed also spoke on the occasion.