IN the wake of recent devastating earthquake, the need for rural electrification utilizing alternate resources has assumed more significance than ever before, for construction and community building programmes in the affected areas. The provision of electricity to the areas where power system was completely disrupted, and also for those remote villages which remain deprived of it till now, is an urgent need.

Power generation through optimal exploitation of renewable energy resources, like wind, solar, mini- and micro-hydro and geothermal, would prove to be economically viable that require short gestation period, even in the areas that are not yet electrified.

Undertaking these projects will also result in numerous job opportunities to the locals who have lost their wages due to calamity and development of the small and medium enterprises (SMEs). At the same time, these far flung areas in the NWFP and Azad Jammu & Kashmir, of which many have recently been known to the nation only through this tragedy, would become self-sufficient in power supply, which would be cost-effective, instead of being totally dependent on national grid supplies.

An initiative has already been taken by the government to install 180 solar lights in Balakot and another 120 in the AJK, in the first phase. Over 100 solar cottages, having two-bed waterproof and earthquake resistant accommodation, are gifted by a friendly country, which may be duplicated by the local authorities at a cost of Rs150,000 each.

Fortunately, efforts are going on for quite sometime to harness the renewable and alternate energy resources, particularly tapping the wind and solar energy, on a large scale.

The government had approved, in July 2003, a comprehensive plan to develop remote areas with the help of alternate energy resources. The fast-track schemes included 2,000 solar homes, 10,000 solar cooker and 6,000 geyser, though only 400 solar homes have been completed so far and a small number of solar cookers installed. Likewise, progress has impeded implementation of schemes for installing 140 micro wind turbines at various sites in Sindh to provide electricity and pumping water.

Efforts to speed up progress on the alternate energy projects have recently been renewed when the government approved the National Energy Security Plan. It is planned to set up renewable energy projects, progressively, with a cumulative capacity of 9,700 MW (mega-watt), by the year 2030, with focus on exploiting wind energy resources fully.

It will contribute from present non-existent share of renewable energy to the level of ten percent in the total installed power capacity by 2015 at national level. The plan is obviously ambitious, nonetheless, detailed preparation work has been done during the past three years or so, and the initial mega wind energy project may takeoff soon, opening doors to further wind energy development. For the purpose, the Sindh government has earmarked over 12,000 acres of land.

In the first phase, wind power projects of total 100 MW capacity are being established, on built-own-operate-and-transfer (BOOT) basis, at Keti Bandar and Gharo in Sindh. Though the projects have already run into snags and delayed by one year, they are now scheduled to go on stream, partially, of 45 MW capacity (30 units of 1.5 MW capacity each), by June 2006. It is anticipated that one-megawatt capacity would be able to meet power demand of about 2,000 average homes in the rural areas. In the second phase, wind power plants of 700 MW cumulative capacity will be installed, by the year 2010.

In fact, a large investment is expected to come up in the new sub-sector, through domestic private sector and international companies. As many as 28 letters of interest (LoI), for projects of about 50 MW each, have been issued by the Alternate Energy Development Board to prospective investors for setting up windmill farms in the coastal areas.

Simultaneously, other sites, including those in the northern parts of Pakistan, are being identified at present, where electricity is needed the most. Companies from Germany, Holland and China plan to invest in Pakistan in wind energy projects, of total capacity of above 1,000 MW, over a period of years.

It is encouraging that the donor agencies and developing countries are also willing to extend financial and technical assistance to Pakistan for the promotion of renewable energy. Asian Development Bank had earlier provided funds for capacity building for management of such projects.

Now, in October 2005, the German government has agreed to support a three-year programme in Pakistan for enhancing the scope of renewable energy and energy efficiency, which will be undertaken by GTZ, the well-known German energy consultants.

Likewise, American and Canadian companies have shown interest to set up wind energy farms under technology transfer arrangements. Also, the World Bank has committed recently a loan of $200 million for the electrification of rural and far-flung areas, mostly devastated now as a result of earthquake.

According to the projections, the world would have an installed capacity of 144,000 MW by the year 2020. In fact there has been phenomenal growth of wind power generation in Europe in recent years, which currently has an installed capacity of 34,616 MW, having a share of 73 per cent of the world wind energy capacity. American continent has 15 per cent of the world share, whereas Asia currently contributes 10 per cent but has now emerged as a growing market for wind turbines.

Likewise, India has installed capacity of 1,702 MW wind power generation that would increase by 875 MW by end of next year.

On the basis of its long-term wind energy development programmes, Pakistan is considered the fourth largest wind energy market in Asia in near future. Pakistan’s coastal line is endowed with a sizeable wind potential having wind regime suitable for wind power generation.

Meteorological studies of the selected potential sites have been conducted. The average wind speeds of 5 to 7 m/s are available in most of the coastal areas in Balochistan and Sindh, as well as in a few northern valleys of the NWFP and the AJK.

Sindh Coastal Development Authority has recently launched electrification of 1,400 villagers living in the coastal areas at a cost of about Rs15 million, to be completed by 2006. Based on available data on wind speed/velocity in these areas, the experts estimate a potential to generate electricity up to 3,000 MW. In fact, wind power is unlimited and it is up to us to exploit the resources optimally.

Wind energy cost compare favourably with conventional fossil-fuelled power plants, and it continues to decline steadily and substantially as technology improves. In the USA, wind power generation cost has lowered to an average of 2.5 cents per kWh, whereas India claims wind power generation cost between 2-2.5 Indian rupees depending upon site conditions. Pakistan has estimated energy cost through its planned projects as seven cents per kWh, which is considered on higher side, given the conditions of contemporary countries. The tariff, which is even higher than those for the conventional gas/oil-fired power plants being set up in the country at present, is definitely a factor hampering physical progress on the on-going wind energy projects in Pakistan.

Technology, developed over the years, has now proved to be reliable and durable, which is continually improving since wind turbines provide a number of benefits as the fuel is free and has neither environmental pollution nor health impacts. The wind turbines are also known for their longer lives. The electricity generated by wind turbines is used for many applications; from large, utility scale power plants to small, single turbines for home or village use.

Wind turbines may be classified as micro, small, medium and large. Micro turbines, installed primarily in remote areas, are compact units, easy to carry even in rough terrain. Small turbines generate up to 60 kW of electricity. Many commercial machines are of medium size, that is, generally in the range of over 60 kW to 750 kW. Large wind turbines are capable of generating one to two megawatts, but are considered less economical and of lower reliability than medium size units.

Wind turbines can be installed in single units, in cluster of two to ten turbines, or in large arrays called wind farms. A wind farm containing large number of turbines is considered the most viable and cost-effective option. Wind power generation units may be grid-connected to supply electricity to the national system or may stand-alone to provide electricity to remote areas.

Pakistan Council of Renewable Energy Technologies has done a remarkable job of installing a number of mini and micro hydel turbines in the Northern Areas, in particular, whereas Sarhad Hydel Development Organization has electrified remote areas of the NWFP through mini and micro hydroelectric power generation.

The Council has also acquired wind turbine technology from the European and the Chinese sources. About a dozen micro wind energy units are already operating in Sindh and Balochistan, whereas a pilot project of 60 kW near Karachi is in advanced stage. The efforts are underway to develop the requisite turbines indigenously to suite wind regime in Pakistan.

To achieve desired results, however, there is a need for effective and timely implementation of action plans and programmes related to renewable energy resources, extending these facilities further to the northern Pakistan too, rather in a big way.