The Chief Executive Officer of Alternative Energy Board Arif Alla-ud-Din on Thursday said that the energy deficit could not be reduced without exploring the alternative sources of energy. The percentage of alternate energy in power must be increased.
While chairing the conference on alternate energy, he said that it is necessary to increase the power production through alternative energy keeping in view swelling import bill of oil, which is expected to rise to $38 billion from $11 billion by 2015. He further said that the country had to give $6 billion subsidy on oil during 2008 alone. With growing demand, Pakistan is facing the electricity shortfall of almost 5000MW.
The CEO Alternative Energy Board informed the conference that contribution of gas to generate power is 21 percent. The time has come that the country must adopt self-reliant policy and make efforts to reduce line losses and energy security of the country must be put on the priority agenda of the government.
Talking about the energy outlook, he said that Pakistan has capacity to generate up to 34600mw of electricity with wind whereas 4500 mega watts of electricity could be produced through small dams. In addition to this, 4000mw of electricity could also be generated by using Bio Mass, he added.
"Dragging the country out of energy crises the alternative energy resources have become the need of the day. The Pakistan Renewable Energy Conference 2011, organised by the US Commercial Service, in collaboration with Alternate Energy Development Board (AEDB). Naeem Shafique, Country Executive - GE Energy, Zubair Yaqub; Commercial Specialist - US Commercial Services, Iqbal M. Sheikh; Project Director -AES, John Simmons; Commercial Counsellor-US Commercial Section, Tanvir Vaqar; Sr. Project Manager (Wind Power)-Fauji Fertiliser Co Ltd; and Hasnain Zaigham; Director General - Nepra expressed their views on alternate resources.