KARACHI: Altamash Hospital has joined hands with Zonergy Solar Development Pakistan, one of the leading Chinese-supported companies in the country, to solarise its health facilities and some residential quarters located in posh DHA and Clifton neighbourhoods of the metropolis.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the installation of a cumulative 351.75 KV power was signed between Altamash General Hospital and Zonergy Solar Development Pakistan here at Altamash General Hospital (AGH) on Thursday, afternoon. Li Bijian, Consul General (CG) People’s Republic of China in Karachi witnessed the signing ceremony as the Chief Guest and talked to the media about bilateral cooperation between the two countries. Professor Dr Mohammad Altamash, Xu Hong Chang, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Zonergy Company Limited (Pakistan), and Lt Col (retd) Dr Munir Ahmed of AGH also attended the contract signing ceremony.
Xu Hong Chang while talking to Business Recorder after the event said that since 2013 Zonergy has been engaged in a range of solar power projects in Pakistan. “So far, we have injected around $500 million in Pakistan’s solar energy sector, and looking for more investment to pour into the country.”
He said Pakistan offers huge potential for the foreign investors in solar energy sector. Zonergy has the honour to have executed mega Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park Bahawalpur. Also, we have successfully completed and handed over 351 Kwp system to Pakistan International Airline (PIA) training Centre in Karachi.
To a query he said Zonergy has around 200 employees currently working in Pakistan from Gwadar to Lahore, and Karachi to Bahawalpur. Of them 195 are Pakistanis and only half of a dozen are Chinese.
To another question, he said the government of Pakistan in order to encourage the foreign investors, should demonstrate flexibility in its policies, and ensure ease of doing business. He said Zonergy wants to shift its manufacturing units to Pakistan because the future of Pakistan’s clean energy is bright.
Reports suggest that Zonergy currently holds the largest market share in the solar industry of Pakistan. Its solar technologies are successfully powering some of the most profitable flagship government projects and private ventures of Pakistan.
Talking to Business Recorder, Lt Col (retd) Dr Munir Ahmed of AGH said that as per the MoU, Altamash Hospital’s three health facilities located in DHA and Clifton neighbourhoods and some residential quarters will be solarised. He said that the project is primarily aimed at contributing Altamash Hospital’s role to combat the growing environmental challenges as a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative. Also we want to become self sufficient in energy production in the face of acute power shortages in Karachi.
The total power capacity of this project is 351.75 KV including 188 KV installations at AGH. Altamash Institute of Dental Medicine and some residential quarters are also being solarised under this contract. He said the project has been executed. “In the next three months, we will be able to produce power from our own,” he added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022