It’s clean, it’s green, wind energy makes sense
“It’s abundant, inexhaustible and it’s clean,” says Sohail Ahmed, a strong proponent of wind energy. “Unlike nuclear and fossil fuels, this does not produce pollutants, heat-trapping greenhouse gases or hazardous wastes,” he adds. Last week he put up a second-hand imported 150 kilowatt (kw) wind turbine at a friends’ factory in Korangi, saying “it’s going to be the fastest growing energy sector in the very near future”.
“The turbine is attached to the local power company’s grid, in our case to the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation and whatever electricity is generated by the windmill will be bought by the electric utility” Ahmed explains the working. The business model is unusual in that whatever is generated is deducted from the company's utility bill. The wind mill owner only pays the difference or if the turbine supplies more, then KESC will pay at the same rate that it sells power .
For more than two years Ahmed has been studying how countries in Europe, specially Germany, have been harnessing this source of energy. Germany leads the world in wind power capacity with the United States following. Spain and Denmark are in third and fourth place respectively. Some developing countries, too, have jumped on the wind power bandwagon. Argentina and India are making massive investments in wind power.
With energy blackouts predicted to getting bigger in the coming years in Pakistan, it becomes imperative that Sohail’s small initiative is taken seriously and replicated fairly quickly to boost energy production in the country.
Despite its enormous energy resources potential, Pakistan remains energy deficient and has to rely on imports to satisfy its needs. Oil and gas account for more than three-quarters of the commercial energy consumption in the country. Gas has emerged over the years as the leading domestic source of energy. The imports of oil account for 85% of oil consumption in the country and 42.8% of commercial energy consumption. The production of indigenous oil is around 15% of total imports of oil products, which is likely to remain the case.
The people who are gung ho about wind power say somehow they get the feeling investing in renewable energy does not have the same sizzle as, say, building big dams or developing islands to cater to the whims of the affluent. “The priorities are warped and politicians don’t çare,” says an insider in the Ministry of Science and Technology, requesting anonymity. The official has long studied ways to harness the wind energy. “It’s not that the government has not done enough research. Enough reports and feasibilities have been carried out, all that is now needed in implementation.”
The federal government established the Alternative Energy Development Board in 2003 to exploit renewable energy resources. Their target was to produce 2030MW through renewable means. “Everything is still only on paper and we have so far been able to produce less than 1 MW of energy under that board!” he says.
Last week the Asian Development Bank pledged $510 million loan to develop clean and efficient sources of power. Director, Pakistan Council of Renewable Energy Technologies, Ministry of Science and Technology Ghulam Umar Sarhandi thinks Ahmed’s idea “is a very doable, specially in the coastal cities, and Karachi would be ideal which already has a KESC grid.” The council has been setting up smaller turbines in remote villages along the coast where the electric company’s grid have not yet reached and the electricity generated by the wind turbines are stored in batteries. He says it would be ideal to have a windmill park at Hawkesbay and connect it to the main grid. “It’s done all over the world, and is the need of the day, but it’s the initial cost that makes people balk at the idea.” Ahmed, however, thinks that “lack of wind data makes it difficult” to gauge not only the potential of wind energy but also the suitable sites where wind turbines can be set up.
Most of the turbines that have been set up by PCRET are imported from China. A small 500 watt turbine and all other paraphernalia cost between Rs50,000 to Rs55,000. “It’s not something we cannot make here but the manufacturing cost almost doubles,” says Sarhandi explaining the reason for importing the machines. He however, suggests that once it is made more popular and produced on a larger scale, the cost will come down. “The material used here would definitely be of better quality compared to China.”
There are a few hitches. Foremost is the investment cost (US $ 2,000/KW) and capacity utilisation. The new equipment only becomes attractive if power is purchased at the rate of Rs 6.25/KW and above compared to Rs 3/unit/kwh (with all surcharges included) that KESC sells to its consumers at present . For residential purposes, this is a costly venture unless the government subsidises the effort. But for commercial purposes, it is an extremely viable option.” Ahmed, however, says the idea is not to sell electricity as much as paying for the extra (if at all) supplied by KESC, at the end of each month. He has already received a nod from the KESC.
Wind energy, is favoured along this coastal belt of Pakistan. Solar radiation is not strong enough due to cloudy/partly cloudy weather from April to September. However, solar energy projects have been initiated in some interior areas of Sindh where the sun's rays are better captured.
Another problem with installing photovoltaic cells in the coastal areas is of their maintenance. ''The cells have to be kept squeaky clean and this is not always possible due to the moist sandy wind blowing in from the coasts.” However, this does not hamper the working of the wind turbines.
Blair, Gates share limelight at Davos
DAVOS: Davos regulars Bill Gates, Tony Blair and Bono sought on Friday to stir the collective conscience of the annual huddle of global leaders over the plight of the developing world.
Bono, the U2 frontman — a rare exception to the bar on celebrity delegates at this year's gathering of the World Economic Forum — was scheduled to join British Prime Minister Blair in pressing industrialised nations to honour their promises on aid to Africa.
South African President Thabo Mbeki will participate in the same evening discussion, which also seeks to question whether African nations are doing enough to create the conditions for sustainable growth.
Billionaire Microsoft founder Gates kicked off the development theme of the day, briefing reporters on the work of the global immunisation programme funded by the foundation he runs with his wife Melinda.
“Vaccines are a miracle thing,” Gates said, adding that vaccination in developing countries had reached record levels, saving the lives of some 2.3 million children.
The global GAVI alliance said it had been able to immunise 138 million children for a variety of preventable diseases in the world's poorest countries since it was set up in 2000.
“GAVI and its partners are leading a major turnaround in children's health,” said Melinda Gates. “When GAVI was founded, immunisation rates in poor countries were on the decline. Today they are at an all-time high.” The Gates Foundation has donated $1.5bn to GAVI, generating more support from some 17 wealthy governments, international agencies and partnerships with industry, including vaccine makers.
“Seventy-three per cent of all children born in Africa now are covered by vaccinations, that’s an absolutely remarkable achievement,” said Julian Lob-Levyt, executive secretary of the GAVI Alliance.
“In the poorest parts of the world they are now achieving results that are better than in south Asia and better than in some cities in Europe,” he added.
Development issues were also high on the agenda of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. He told Davos delegates that wealthy nations must take on board the concerns of poorer countries when seeking a resolution to the stalled Doha round of global trade talks.
“If we wish to send a signal to the poorest countries of the planet that they will have an opportunity in the 21st century, it is necessary that...(rich) countries assume responsibility for developing a pact, so we can reach an agreement,” Lula said.
About 30 trade ministers will get together in Davos on Saturday to discuss the World Trade Organisation talks, which were suspended last July because of differences between the EU, the US and emerging countries.
On Thursday, the Forum was dominated by ME politics, with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas insisting that the time had come for building a lasting peace with Israel. “I am fully convinced that despite all the difficulties, an atmosphere conducive to the resumption of the peace process exists,” he added.
Speaking after the Palestinian president, Livni was more circumspect about the timetable for a possible resumption of the roadmap peace plan, even as she stressed the need for both sides to stick to the vision of two states living side-by-side.
“The Palestinian state is not an illusion, it's feasible, it's there, it's achievable,” Livni said. “The establishment of a Palestinian state and homeland for the Palestinians is the answer, the national answer to the Palestinians wherever they are.” Livni stressed that Israel would never “allow” a Palestinian state that was “ruled by a terrorist organisation.”—AFP
UK seeking extradition of spy’s ‘killer’
LONDON: Britain is preparing to request the extradition of a Russian suspected over the poisoning of former spy Alexander Litvinenko, a report said on Friday — but the suspect immediately laughed off the suggestion.
Such a request could seriously strain relations between London and Moscow, The Guardian newspaper said, reporting that a request for Andrei Lugovoi's transfer to Britain could be made as early as next month.
The newspaper added that unnamed government officials were convinced that Moscow would demand that exiled oligarch Boris Berezovsky be extradited to Russia in return.
Litvinenko, a former Russian intelligence agent who fled to Britain, fell ill on Nov 1 after being poisoned by the radioactive substance polonium-210, and died about three weeks later.
Lugovoi, himself a former KGB Soviet intelligence agency officer, met with the former spy that day at a central London hotel.—AFP