LAHORE: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif says that there is a vast scope of power generation from solar energy in Punjab and 46 sites have been selected for setting up small solar projects.

He was presiding over a meeting which reviewed the prospects of setting up solar energy projects in the province, a handout said here on Sunday.

German solar expert Dr Gerwin and Additional Chief Secretary Energy Jehanzeb Khan gave a briefing to the meeting on small solar power projects.

Know more: Solar park area, capacity enhanced

Addressing the meeting, Shahbaz said resolving the energy crisis was essential for eliminating poverty and unemployment from the country.

The chief minister said solar projects of one to 50 megawatts would play an important role in minimising the power shortage. He asked the departments concerned to spare no effort for speedy implementation of small solar projects, seeking immediate measures for speedy execution by forming a team.

Shahbaz said the Punjab government was initially setting up a 100-megawatt solar project, Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park Bahawalpur, with its own resources and it would start producing electricity by the end of the current year. The Punjab government was also working on coal, hydel, biogas, biomass and other projects of generation of power from alternative sources.

The chief minister said untimely protests and sit-ins had wasted a lot of precious time of the nation and there was no room for further delay. He said that collective efforts were needed to remove darkness from the country and the departments and institutions concerned would have to perform their duty in this regard with a renewed spirit. He said the energy crisis had badly affected education, health, agriculture and other social sectors, adding that resolving of energy problem was vital for promotion of industrialisation.

CM’s Advisor Azmul Haq, senior member board of revenue, additional chief secretary energy, managing director of the National Transmission and Dispatch Company and officers of Mepco, Fesco, Nepra and Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park were also present.

Published in Dawn, October 13th, 2014