Land for renewable power plants

In 1981, the country's first photocells system was commissioned near Islamabad, and since then for reasons, not very logical, not much could be done to cash in on the Nature's bounty of solar and wind energies. Pakistan is rich in both. The average amount of sunlight in Pakistan is eight and half hours, though a large part is cloud-free most of the time. And its coastline is 1,045 kilometres, breathing strong winds and high tidal waves. But this abundant source of renewable energy remains unexploited, in turn, increasing Pakistan's growing dependence of fossil-fuelled conventional energy sources. Currently, 64 percent of national energy mix is created from fossil fuels, coal 7%, hydropower 27% and 2% nuclear. If the Global Climate Risk Index places Pakistan at 8th position it is not entirely because of crop-stubble burning, it is because of carbon emissions released by fossil-fuelled electricity generation. And, ironically, Pakistan's vulnerability to climate change is unjust - because its average electrical energy per capita (KWh) per person per year is one of the lowest in the world. As against world average of 2,674, of the United States' 12,071, China's 4,475, India's 1,122 Pakistan's is only 471. So, even when it is a drop in the bucket the Sindh cabinet's allotment of land for setting up renewable power plants is a welcome decision. Ideally, the nature's generous gifts of sun and sea should have been taken advantage of long before, but the second best time is now. Given plenty of sun in most of the country, strong winds buffeting the long coastal regions and regular high tides washing the shores the country has the right potential to shift its focus from air-polluting fossil-fuelled electricity generation. And it should be done without any further loss of time. Let's cover the entire desert with solar panels, erect wind turbines all along the coast and build solar cities in sun-scorched parts of the country. If the poor in slums can lighten up their huts with solar panels why then streetlights in the cities don't come alive as the sun goes down.

It is given now that fossil fuels as source of electricity have no future. They have the shelf life, a realisation that is forcing even the oil-rich states to harness the renewable sources, among which nuclear is a strong candidate. Pakistan should not only fully exploit the nature's gifts of pollution-free solar, wind and tides sources for power generation it should also set up more nuclear power plants. It has the desired experience of safely running nuclear plants as well as a huge reservoir of trained manpower. As for the hydropower, it has desired potential, but its fuller exploitation is subject to national consensus, which is unfortunately not there. Ideally, as the companies who have been allotted land for this purpose should go for wind-solar hybrid system. Wind is more efficient than solar because it uses less energy: it is estimated that a single wind turbine can generate the same amount in kilowatt per hour as a thousand of solar panels. Should this project move forward, and we are confident it will, the concerned companies may then think of developing 'solar cities' in sun-drenched areas in southern Punjab and upper Sindh. Fed on solar-generated electricity they are likely to attract foreign investment and manufacture high-technique gadgets like computers, cell phones and other electronic devices.