ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has a sizeable livestock population that offers huge resources for biogas production to meet the growing appetite for energy; however, this important source of energy remains largely overlooked. In an interview with WealthPK, Pakistan Council for Renewable Energy Technology (PCRET) Director Dr. Tahir Mahmood.
Two projects have been completed with around 2,500 plants installed in the first phase and around 1,600 in the second phase. “India has dedicated a separate ministry exclusively to renewable energy issues, overseeing renewable energy initiatives and policies.”
India significantly leads the biogas sector with more than 400,000 plants installed, while China boasts more than 4 million plants, he said. Pakistan has plenty of cattle but has not been able to utilize this resource effectively. It even lags behind Nepal.
Also read: Zong 4G, JS Zindigi Partner Up to Facilitate Users
“The government provided a 50% subsidy, and the remaining 50% was expected from the end users. Due to lack of supervision and maintenance, most of these power plants have now ceased to operate, underscoring the urgent need for better governance and sustainability measures in biogas projects,” Dr Tahir shared his concerns.
After that, the private sector started to play a role in Pakistan, contributing to the establishment of many biogas plants. He attributed this inefficiency to the prevailing social mentality perceiving biogas production as “dirty work”. Individuals may hesitate to perform tasks associated with biogas production and have difficulty adequately meeting its requirements.
Daily compliance with these requirements is essential for successful biogas production. “When it comes to policy recommendations for the biogas sector, the government should redirect its focus. Initially, the government focused on distributing individual biogas stations to households, an initiative that did not bring significant success. I propose to adopt a centralized approach instead.”
“Instead of disposal costs, dairy farm owners can use this waste as feedstock .” For biogas plants, this would not only produce biogas for their own use but also provide a sustainable and cost-effective solution,” he said.
