Please refer to a news item published in Business Recorder dated May 26, 2011 titled as "KESC's bio gas energy project," in which endeavours of Highmark Renewables and KESC to initiate the world's largest project of bio gas energy at Karachi have been highlighted.
We would like to laud the initiative, which will not only be the biggest such venture in the world in the bio gas sector but will stop environmental pollution on a massive scale, produce organic fertiliser to replenish the soil complementing chemical fertiliser usage to promote Agriculture productivity and lastly produce much needed electricity. The firm is projecting it as primarily a CSR initiative.
While commending the effort we would also like to offer a clarification regarding 'technology' availability for renewable energy in Pakistan since the news item referred to also mention that wind and solar energy cannot be tapped as there are 'technological issues involved and all equipment is required to be imported.' In this context it is informed that Pakistan Council for Renewable Energy Technologies (PCRET), under the umbrella of Ministry of Science and Technology, has conducted substantive research and development (R&D) in the arenas of solar, wind, bio gas and micro-hydel technologies. PCRET has the facility to manufacture 'solar cell' right from basic raw material & has demonstrated that after production begins on mass scale the cost will fall substantially to bring these products within reach of the common man. It has developed, both solar thermal and solar cell technology and products like 'solar powered submersible pumps' 'solar stoves,' solar panels that can be used to power tube-wells, sewing machines, cell phones etc. These could be purchased off the shelf and installed in homes after purchase.
PCRET has offered 'free' access to its research and technology to any party for production and commercial sale of products in the country. SME bank and other Bank have been requested to consider developing leasing products allowing purchase in multiple small payments of 'wind mills,' 'solar panels' 'zero head electricity generating turbines' with 15 to 25 years performance guarantee after purchase and consequently so many years of free electricity after a one time purchase to generate consumer demand. Specially, designed long life battery charged by solar cells is also under consideration for large scale commercial production to make durable easy to maintain solar energy products. Use of these renewable energy products albeit at a substantial scale would shift many users off-grid and spare so much of electricity/gas on grid for diversion to the manufacturing sector. The well to do also consume more electricity therefore, the products till they come within the reach of the less well to do with economies of scale coming into play would have an impact on traditional electricity consumption. Access to Central Asian gas reserves sans dramatic improvement on the western borders is fraught with ever-present danger of sabotage by disgruntled spoilers and a mirage compared to capturing solar and wind energy from our immediate surroundings.
Hence private sector entities looking for first mover advantage for local manufacture of solar/wind/bio-gas ready to use products for manufacture may contact PCRET as it is offering this technology 'free' along with product designs with specs that are made for off the shelf local use.-PR