ISLAMABAD: Policy recommendations were finalised to support the use of biomass technology in industry at a consultative stakeholders’ workshop held on Friday.

The event was organised by the Alternate Energy Development Board (AEDB) and United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO).

The finalised policy recommendations will be submitted to the AEDB for making the necessary changes in existing policies, regulations and procedures related to biomass.

The quality standards will be used by the customs department of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to ensure that only gasifiers complying with the stated standards are imported in the country.

Recognising the need for tapping all possible energy sources available to Pakistan, especially renewable sources such as biomass, UNIDO is implementing a Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded project on “promoting sustainable energy production and use from biomass in Pakistan”. The project aims to promote market-based adoption of modern biomass technologies for industrial and rural energy applications with particular focus on the introduction of biomass gasification technology.

The consultative stakeholder workshop was attended by over seventy experts, including representatives from AEDB, the National Electric and Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra), provincial energy departments, private sector, academia and several other stakeholders.

United Nations Resident Coordinator, Neil Buhne described biomass as a ‘huge resource’ for the country with immense benefits. He linked promoting biomass with the achievement of several sustainable goals and highlighted the importance of biomass as part of the larder bio-economy with volume of over $2 trillion globally.

AEDB Chief Executive Officer Amjad Ali Awan, who chaired the meeting, highlighted the importance of biomass energy technologies both as a means to address energy challenges in the country and an important opportunity to save fuel and diversify its energy mix to include clean indigenous energy sources.

Published in Dawn, April 15th, 2017