Use and promotion of solar energy is the only available and affordable solution to effectively face the persistent energy crisis in Pakistan, said Suhail Bin Rashid, president of Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI). He was talking to Shafqat Ullah Butt, Manager Corporate (Sales) of Telsa, a solar energy solution company that arranged an exhibition of solar panels and other equipments in the committee room of FCCI.
Butt along with FCCI senior vice president Riaz-ul-Haq and vice president Chaudhry Muhammad Asghar visited the exhibition and discussed various issues for the extensive use of solar energy in this agro-industrial city. He said Pakistan was located in a region where sunlight was available from 14-16 hours per day but "we failed to fully exploit its potential despite of the acute shortage of energy".
Suhail Bin Rashid said the government usually focuses on long-term policies whereas the people at grass-root level wanted immediate and money-wise affordable solution. In this connection the solar energy is most viable solution, hence the government should encourage use of the solar energy at lower level by exempting solar related panels and appliances from all taxes and duties in addition to facilitating its manufacturers through policy-making.
FCCI President Suhail Bin Rashid said solar systems were available for homes and shops which could be made more inexpensive through subsidy by the government. In this connection the government could also launch instalment schemes through banks in addition to leasing out these systems through leasing companies. It will not only attract majority of the people to get solar system but also manage it within their own financial resources, he said and added that this was the most feasible option to save people from the ill impacts of loadshedding. The FCCI President asked solar energy companies to reduce their profit as cheaper systems will double their sales and overall income.
The FCCI President showed interest in installation of solar system in the FCCI complex and asked Butt to present viable proposals enabling him to get its approval from the FCCI Executive Committee. Telsa Manager Shafqat Ullah Butt also explained salient features of various products manufactured by his company and said that he will try his best for the promotion of solar system in this city where energy demand was increasing at a rate of 20 percent per annum.