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Wind and Solar Potential in Pakistan
Wind and Solar Potential in Pakistan
Pakistan has huge solar resource potential: According to a recent World Bank
study, utilizing just 0.071 percent of the country’s area for solar PV would meet
Pakistan’s current electricity demand! Of course Pakistanis already know this due
to the long, hot summers, which until recently were accompanied by regular
power cuts due to insufficient supply. Pakistan also has some excellent wind
resource potential in the south and west of the country, as highlighted by the
Global Wind Atlas.
Considering this, and at the request of the Government, the World Bank team in
Pakistan commissioned a study in mid-2018 to help understand how much solar
and wind could—and should—be added to the Pakistan grid considering its cost
and variability. With the help of a team of consultants from Tractebel (previously
Lahmeyer), the study (available via this feature story) determined that increasing
solar and wind capacity to at least 30% of total installed capacity by 2030 would
represent a "least-cost" expansion scenario, resulting in fuel savings equal to $5
billion over 20 years, increased energy security, and reduced greenhouse gas
emissions. This will require Pakistan to install around 24,000 Megawatts of solar
and wind by 2030, up from just over 1,500 Megawatts today. This represents
around 150-200 MW per month!
The study has already informed the Government's targets for solar and wind, set
at 20% of total capacity by 2025 and 30% by 2030, and has helped dispel concerns
over integrating much higher percentages of variable generation.
Our most recent study, “Variable Renewable Energy Locational Study,” goes on to
show where all this solar and wind would be optimally sited, considering the
resource potential, transmission system capacity, and constraints such as
agriculture, terrain, and population centers. Three conclusions emerge:
Reaching the 20% target for solar and wind can be largely achieved by
carefully siting solar and wind projects to make use of surplus substation
capacity in the existing system—this is best thought of as "low hanging
fruit";
Getting to 30% will require more significant investment, including
development of hybrid solar and wind parks which help to make better use
of dedicated transmission lines;
While every province should see significant solar and wind development,
Balochistan stands out as the country's "golden goose." Due to the
excellent solar, but especially wind resources in the west of the province, it
makes economic sense to develop large solar-wind farms and construct a
high- voltage DC line over 1,000 kilometers to bring power to the rest of the
country.
Political instability also affects the country’s ability to collect revenue from its
solar and wind power industries. Despite these challenges, there are several
reasons why Pakistan should focus on renewable energy as an essential part of its
overall policy agenda. Renewable energy can provide much-needed employment
and income opportunities for the country’s poorest residents, help reduce
greenhouse gas emissions and provide security against dependency on foreign oil
supplies.
Technical Barriers
Renewable energy is becoming increasingly popular worldwide, as it is a reliable,
sustainable source of electricity. However, renewable energy has some technical
challenges that need to be overcome before it can be widely adopted in Pakistan.
One of the main challenges is that renewable energy technologies are only
sometimes efficient. For example, solar panels need sunlight to work, but the sun
does not always shine in Pakistan. Solar power plants need to be built with a lot of
backup power; if the sun isn’t shining, they can switch to using other energy
sources like coal or gas.
Solar developers are already rushing to take advantage of this opportunity. The
majority of Pakistan’s installed capacity will be concentrated in four provinces:
Punjab (50%), Sindh (25%), Baluchistan (10%), and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (5%).
3. Technological Advances
Renewable energy technologies are becoming more and more affordable and
efficient, making them an attractive option for powering the world. Pakistan has
several potential renewable energy resources that could be harnessed to provide
clean energy. The country’s sunny climate and ample sunlight make it an ideal
location for solar power installations. Solar power is also relatively affordable,
providing an excellent opportunity for Pakistan to become a leading solar
energy producer.
The country also has significant wind power potential. The winds that blow
through Pakistan are high in velocity and have a long reach, making them an ideal
renewable energy source.
Additionally, Pakistan already has many wind turbines, making it easy to expand
the industry. Pakistan has also identified biomass as another potential renewable
energy source. Biomass projects can be small-scale or large-scale, depending on
the project’s requirements. There are many opportunities for renewable energy in
Pakistan.
References:
Renewable Energy in Pakistan: Opportunities and Challenges - Maxpower
http://pk.china-
embassy.gov.cn/eng/zbgx/CPEC/201901/t20190104_1270059.htm#:~:te
xt=Dawood%20wind%20power%20project%20is%20a%20prioritized%20
or,wind%20corridor%20in%20Bhanbore%2C%20District%20Thatta%2C%
20Sindh.%202.