Pakistan has a potential to generate over 2.324 million mega watts electricity per annum through solar system and industrialists should come into manufacturing in this sector for domestic as well as industrial use in order to overcome prevailing energy crisis in Pakistan. This was stated by Vice Chancellor Hamdard University Dr Nasim A. Khan while giving a presentation on “Solar Power in Pakistan” organized by Korangi Association of Trade and Industry in collaboration with the Engineering Review here Wednesday. Dr Nasim said solar and wind powers were the real sources of energy and rest of the sources were alternative. He said Hamdard University was ready to provide technology of solar power to the industrialists free of charge so that country could be able to benefit from cheapest sources of energy. He said though solar panels were expensive at present, but the commercial manufacturing would make them cheaper and viable for all consumers. He further emphasized on manufacturing of all components of solar system locally in order to make them viable for the local as well export market. He informed that countries like the USA, Germany, Australia, Brazil, UK, Japan, India, China and Thailand were now generating electricity in bulk through solar system. He disclosed that Japan was generating electricity at the cost of only two cents per kilo watt hour (KWH). He said Pakistan needed to add 2000 MW electricity to the national grid annually and this could only be possible through solar and wind power. He said the UK, which had less than half of the population than Pakistan, was generating 70000 MW in 1970 whereas Pakistan was generating merely 22000MW at present. Chairman KATI Ehtesham Uddin announced to extend all-out support to the University for the promotion of solar powered technology and offered to coordinate with Dr Nasim and industrialists to manufacture solar panels for domestic and industrial use. President All Karachi Industrial Alliance Mian Zahid Hussain said solar and wind power was need of the hour and future belonged to the two cheapest sources of energy.
