ISLAMABAD: Speakers at 3rd International Hydropower Conference while terming the hydropower and renewable energy (RE) crucial for the sustainable future of the country on Wednesday stressed the need to remove bottlenecks in harnessing the hydropower and RE potential for provision of affordable electricity to the people and industry.
The third International Hydropower conference themed “Hydropower: A Renewable Energy Source for a Sustainable Future” was organized by the Energy Update in collaboration with the Private Power Infrastructure Board (PPIB) and International Hydropower Association (IHA).
They were of the views that RE and Hydropower were of the future of the country but there was a dire need for consistency of government policies to exploit these areas for the benefit of the people.
Speaking on the occasion, caretaker minister for Power Muhammad Ali while lauding the Energy Update for organizing the conference said that it would help us to improve the policy framework in energy sector.
He said enhancing share of RE and hydropower in energy max was the government’s top priority as it was the only way to reduce the power tariff besides provision of affordable energy to the people. Currently, the share of hydel and RE in total energy mix stood at 31 per cent adding that the government has embark on an ambitious plan to enhance it to 61 per cent by 2030, he said.
He said Pakistan has tremendous potential for wind, solar and hydropower. We could alone generate around 64,000 megawatt (MW) from hydel and only tapped 11,000 MW so far.
He said work on 4200 MW Dasu hydropower, 800 MW Mohmand dam and 4500 MW Diamer Basha dam was being carried out. However, financing was a big issue for such mega projects, he added.
The minister said Pakistan has 175 billion tons of Thar coal reserves which could generate electricity for decades.
On energy conservation side, the minister said that some 3000-4000 MW could be save only through energy efficient fans across the country.
Earlier, Managing Director Private Power Infrastructure Board (PPIB) Dr Shahjan Mirza said hydropower projects were equally beneficial for environment and economy. He said that PPIB has commissioned four projects having 1100 MW capacity so far. However, he said it was not an easy task to attract private investor for hydropower projects as it required huge financing and long time-period for completion. He said the government has also set target of 60 per cent of RE and hydel share by 2030 and it would attract around $ 100 billion investment.
Chief Executive Officer Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organization (PEDO) Engineer Muhammad Naeem while speaking on the occasion said that RE could turn the future of the country. RW was not only important for the industry and consumers but also for climate and economy of the country, he said.
He said Pakistan has huge hydro energy potential at North and RE particularly wind and solar at South. He said PEDO was playing its role to develop small hydropower projects in remote and far flung areas of KPK. Some micro hydro projects have already been supplying power supply to the near by localities at very cheap rate, he added. He said more nine such projects having 750 MW capacity were in pipelines.
He stressed the need to focus more on RE projects besides removing hurdles in its way to ensure affordable electricity to the consumers and industries.
CEO International Hydropower Association (IHA) Eddie Rich in his video message highlighted the importance and future aspect of hydropower energy.
Chairman organization Committee Naeem Qureshi in his welcome address said that the conference was not just a gathering rather it was a dynamic exchange idea aimed at propelling the hydropower sector forward. The theme reflected a commitment to exploring hydropower’s potential as a key player in the global shift towards renewable energy, he said.
He said the conference would serve as a platform to showcase progress made in the hydropower sector, not just in Pakistan but in the broader region. It’s an opportunity to set the stage for collaborative efforts that would define our approach to sustainable energy, he remarked.
In addition to the conference proceedings, the Energy Minister presented two awards. One was awarded to the 4th extension of the Tarbela project by WAPDA, and the other to the 720 MW Karot project, sponsored by CSAIL. These awards recognized outstanding contributions to the development of hydropower infrastructure in the country.
