Thursday, July 21, 2022

My Family's Contribution to Climate Action: Rooftop Solar and Electric Vehicles

In response to growing reports of extreme heat and floods around the world, my wife and I are doing our part to reduce our carbon footprint: We now have rooftop solar panels as well as two electric vehicles. In fact, we have had rooftop solar since 2019. My wife Yasmeen traded in her Toyota Prius Hybrid car for an all-electric Chevrolet Bolt in 2019, and I have recently traded in my gasoline-powered Mercedes sedan for a Tesla Model Y 2022. Both of us see these actions as the least we can do to help our future generations. We all need to help bring about the clean energy revolution

My New Tesla Model Y 2022


Our rooftop solar panels have been generating enough electricity to power our home for the last three years. The SunRun solar app we have shows that our solar panels generated 8,500 kWh of electricity in the last 12 months, reducing CO2 emissions produced by 6,622 pounds of coal and 676 gallons of gasoline. 

Rooftop Solar Panels on Our House


Silicon Valley where I live is at the forefront of the nascent clean energy revolution led by Tesla. Tesla is more than an electric car company; the company also supplies solar panels and batteries. Other automakers are also taking their cues from Tesla.  China's BYD Auto has only recently been surpassed by Tesla in production volumes. Auto giants General Motors and BMW are both building electric cars and planning to build "gigafactories" like Tesla's to manufacture battery packs for vehicles and homes. Pakistan is building up renewable power generation capacity. The country has also recently announced its National Electric Vehicle Policy that offers incentives to transition to clean energy.

The global transportation sector is a major polluter and in 2020 produced approximately 7.3 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Passenger cars were the biggest source of emissions that year, accounting for 41 percent of global transportation emissions.


CO2 Emissions by the Transport Sector. Source: Statista

Bloomberg estimates that batteries and electric transmission account for about 40% of passenger cars’ costs. European demand is met by mainly Japanese and South Korean battery makers like Panasonic, LG Chem Ltd. and Samsung SDI Co. In the U.S., Tesla has built its own battery cells at its Gigafactory to manage costs and satisfy demand for the cars it produces. Chinese demand for battery packs is met by BYD.

My wife and I have taken it to heart to think globally and act locally. Each of us can make our own modest contribution to helping fight global climate change for the sake of our future generations. We owe it to our children and grandchildren. The time to act is NOW!

Related Links:

Haq's Musings

South Asia Investor Review

Pakistan's Energy Imports

Ten Billion Tree Tsunami: Olive Revolution in Pakistan

Rooftop Solar Net Metering Growth in Pakistan 

Can Pakistan Avoid Recurring IMF Bailouts?

Extreme Heat and Floods in Pakistan

CPEC Financing: Is China Ripping Off Pakistan?

Pakistan Ramps Up Nuclear Power Generation

Is Pakistan Ready For Clean Energy Revolution?

China Global Power Database on Power Plants in Pakistan

CPEC Transforming Pakistan

Pakistan's $20 Billion Tourism Industry Boom

Pakistan Among Top 3 Countries For New Hydro Installed Capacity

Riaz Haq's YouTube Channel

PakAlumni Social Network

37 comments:

Shams N. said...

First, congratulations re. your Tesla Model Y.

Next, my usual deep fried friendly comments - that Tesla is a status symbol. Electricity doesn't grow on trees. You burn the f* fossils to create electricity - your carbon footprint doesn't get changed much. You burn 150 lbs of fossil fuel to generate the 74kwh of a full charge on Model Y (incl. line losses / reverse EMF losses).

If you want to contribute to climate change, do what I have done - trees, trees, and then more trees

Riaz Haq said...

Shams: "You burn the f* fossils to create electricity - your carbon footprint doesn't get changed much. You burn 150 lbs of fossil fuel to generate the 74kwh of a full charge on Model Y (incl. line losses / reverse EMF losses). If you want to contribute to climate change, do what I have done - trees, trees, and then more trees"

First, it's clear that you didn't read my entire post. If you had, you'd know that I have rooftop solar panels that generate enough electricity to power my home. 

Second, what makes you think I don't have a lot of trees on my property? 

Terry A. said...

Riaz Bhai - The Rooftop Solar Panels are indeed making a big difference in adopting clean Energy , however What happens to the Tesla Batteries ( and Batteries of all the other Electric Cars in the World ) when they become Useless & Obsolete after 5-7 years
Of constant recharging ?……….Can they be recycled ? How are they disposed of ?

Unless I am mistaken , They will be contaminating Landfills or dropped somewhere in the deep Oceans as there are no other Places to Safely Store such batteries on earth ?

We may be doing our best here in the USA to minimize our Carbon footprint……..However the Usage of Coal in China , Russia , India , Pakistan , Africa & elsewhere…….will NEVER be reduced or eliminated……simply because they have hundreds of Millions of

Poor People living there , who will never ever get out of Poverty & hence be able to afford alternatives to Coal for their basic food cooking & energy needs in life ?

Riaz Haq said...

Terry: "Unless I am mistaken , They will be contaminating Landfills or dropped somewhere in the deep Oceans as there are no other Places to Safely Store such batteries on earth? ....However the Usage of Coal in China , Russia , India , Pakistan , Africa & elsewhere…….will NEVER be reduced or eliminated"

You've raised good issues.

To my knowledge, most major EV automakers have plans to recycle batteries.

As for other nations burning coal, I can't solve all of the world's problems.

BTW, coal, too, is getting pretty expensive like other fossil fuels.

But, in addition to market forces, each one of us can contribute in our ways to help us get to the promised land.

FYI: China is going into renewables and EVs in a big way.

The Chinese see it as a market opportunity as the world transitions from fossils to clean energy.

Rashid A. said...

Riaz Sahib

To get an idea of return on the cost of your solar system,

How much it saved you on electricity bills annually?

Riaz Haq said...

Rashid: "How much it saved you on electricity bills annually?"

SunRun gave me an estimated cost of 9.3 cents per kWh back in 2019.

The current off-peak rate for PG&E is 43 cents per kWh. Peak rate is 49 cents per kWh. These rates are likely to go higher in future.

Amjad M. said...

My solar system is 6.72kW.
My savings are in the range of about $50 per month but my main goal is to hedge against the ever increasing rates hikes by PGE and of course clean energy.

It is producing 35-40 kWh everyday which is adding surplus through Net Metering. Last August when there is NEM conciliation I got around $90 check back from PGE which almost paid for the connection charges.

Anonymous said...

National avg rate is 15 cents per kWh. California avg rate is 25 cents per kWh.

nomam said...

You and your wife should pray to Allah SWT to save the world.

Riaz Haq said...

Noman: "You and your wife should pray to Allah SWT to save the world"

There's a famous hadith narrated by al-Tirmidhi that outlines the story of a Bedouin man who was leaving his camel without tying it. The Prophet (PBUH) asked him “Why don't you tie down your camel?” The Bedouin answered, “I put my trust in Allah.” The Prophet then replied, “Tie your camel first, and then put your trust in Allah.”

Riaz Haq said...

Anon: "National avg rate is 15 cents per kWh. California avg rate is 25 cents per kWh"


Californians pay relatively low utility bills. According to the March 2022 Save on Energy Electricity Bill Report, Californians consume an average of 572 kWh per month. They pay an average of 23.22 cents/kWh, resulting in an average monthly electricity bill of $101.49. For reference, the most expensive average monthly bill is Hawaii ($191.01) and the cheapest is Utah ($78.13). The average for the U.S. as a whole is $122.79.

https://smartasset.com/mortgage/the-cost-of-living-in-california#:~:text=Utilities,monthly%20electricity%20bill%20of%20%24101.49.

Riaz Haq said...

Domestic Connection per unit rate in Karachi, Pakistan
Prices differ with respect to number of units consumed. There are unit slabs against which cost is different.

Number of Units Rate per 1 Unit (kWh)
1-50 Rs. 2
1-100 Rs. 7.36
101-200 Rs. 9.68
201-300 Rs. 12.15
301-700 Rs. 20.82
Above 700 Rs. 23.92

Commercial Connection per unit rate
Load Type Rate per Unit (kWh)
Less than 5kW load Rs. 20.66
More than 5kW load Rs. 24.14


https://priceindex.pk/electricity-per-unit-price-pakistan/

-------------

In Mumbai Maharashtra (India), based upon number of electricity units consumptions, Adani Electricity Mumbai Limited Tariff or slab rates are divided into four categories

Maharashtra Adani Electricity Mumbai Limited slab or tariff rates
Category 1(0 to 100 units) Unit Charge - ₹2.90 Fixed charges : 70₹
Category 2(100 to 300 units) Unit Charge - ₹4.85 Fixed charges : 110₹
Category 3(300 to 500 units) Unit Charge - ₹6.65 Fixed charges : 110₹
Category 4(Above 500 units) Unit Charge - ₹7.80 Fixed charges : 135₹


https://electricitybillcalculator.online/maharashtra/

Riaz Haq said...

Energy Market Madness Leads To Record-Breaking Coal Consumption

https://oilprice.com/Energy/Coal/Energy-Market-Madness-Leads-To-Record-Breaking-Coal-Consumption.html

Coal-fired electricity generation has surged to a record high.
The rise in coal use is being fueled by the ongoing war in Ukraine and booming electricity demand.
Coal-fuelled generation is on course to set an even higher record in 2022 as generators in Europe and Asia minimize the use of expensive gas.


Global coal-fired electricity generators are producing more power than ever before in response to booming electricity demand after the pandemic and the surging price of gas following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The world’s coal-fired generators produced a record 10,244 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2021 surpassing the previous record of 10,098 TWh set in 2018 (“Statistical review of world energy”, BP, July 2022).

Coal-fuelled generation is on course to set an even higher record in 2022 as generators in Europe and Asia minimise the use of expensive gas following Russia’s invasion and U.S. and EU sanctions imposed in response.

By contrast, mine output was still fractionally below the record set between 2012 and 2014 because older and less efficient coal generators have been replaced by newer and more efficient ones needing less fuel per kilowatt.

Global coal mine production was 8,173 million tonnes in 2021 compared with 8,180-8,256 million per year between 2012 and 2014.

But mine production is also likely to set a new record this year as the surging demand for coal-fuelled generation overtakes efficiency improvements.

Coal Resilience

Coal’s resurgence has confounded U.S. and EU policymakers who expected it to diminish as part of their plan for net zero emissions.

Between 2011 and 2021, generation from coal grew more slowly (1.2% per year)...

As a result, coal’s share of total generation worldwide has declined 36.0% in 2021 from a recent peak of 40.8% in 2013.

But the enormous growth in electricity demand (2.5% per year) ensured there has been growing demand for all sources of generation.

Coal production and generation is set to continue rising through at least 2027 as the rising demand for electricity overwhelms efficiency improvements in combustion and the deployment of gas and renewables as alternatives.

Turbocharged

Rapid recovery after the pandemic has turbocharged these trends, boosting electricity demand and the dependence on coal-fired generation, and lifting coal consumption to a record high

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the resulting reduction gas exports has stimulated demand even further as generators try to minimise consumption of expensive gas and countries try to indigenise their energy supplies.

In Europe, governments are encouraging coal-burning generators to remain in service for longer rather than closing in case gas flows from Russia cease in winter 2022/23.

Responding to shortages and security concerns, China and India are encouraging domestic miners to raise output to record levels to ensure adequate fuel stocks and cut their reliance on expensive imported coal and gas.

China’s coal production climbed to a record 2,192 million tonnes between January and June compared with 1,949 million in the same period a year earlier and 1,758 million before the pandemic in 2019.


India’s production climbed to a record 393 million tonnes between January and May compared with 349 million a year ago.

Fuel Shortage

Despite the rapid growth in domestic coal production in China and India, there is still a worldwide shortage of fuel, which has sent coal prices to their highest level in real terms for more than 50 years.

U.S. and EU sanctions have intensified upward pressure on prices by re-routing Russian coal to Asia and coal from Australia and Indonesia to Europe, resulting in longer and more expensive voyages.

Riaz Haq said...

Energy Market Madness Leads To Record-Breaking Coal Consumption

https://oilprice.com/Energy/Coal/Energy-Market-Madness-Leads-To-Record-Breaking-Coal-Consumption.html


Coal is the bulkiest and most expensive commodity to transport relative to its value so longer voyages have a direct and significant impact on the landed price paid by power producers.

Higher gas prices in Europe are pulling coal prices up in their wake as coal-fired generators scramble to secure fuel in order to be able to run their units for as many hours as possible.

Front-month futures prices for gas delivered in Northwest Europe have climbed to €157 per megawatt-hour from €41 at the same point in 2021 while coal prices have risen to €53 from €16.

If the northern hemisphere winter of 2022/23 is colder than normal, shortages of coal, gas and electricity are likely to become severe and are likely to force some form of energy rationing or allocation. The global coal shortage is part of a wider shortage of energy evident across the markets for crude, diesel, gas and electricity.

In each case, the shortage stems from the strong cyclical rebound from the pandemic and has been intensified by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and sanctions imposed as a result.

Record prices are sending a strong signal to producers to increase output and to consumers to conserve as much fuel as possible.

Like crude and diesel, however, rebalancing the coal market will likely require a significant slowdown in the major economies to ease the immediate pressure on inventories and give production time to catch up with consumption.

Riaz Haq said...

'Non-stop' heavy rains: Public holiday declared in Karachi, Hyderabad on Monday
Entire administration is still on ground and relief work will resume as soon as rain stops, says Karachi administrator


https://tribune.com.pk/story/2367632/non-stop-heavy-rains-public-holiday-declared-in-karachi-hyderabad-on-monday


The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) predicted that Karachi may receive up to 200 millimetres of rain accompanied by stormy winds on Sunday. Citizens have been instructed not to leave their homes unnecessarily.

The downpour continues in various areas of the city, including Scheme 33, Federal B Area, North Karachi, New Karachi, Nazimabad, Muhammad Ali Society, Bahadurabad, PIB Colony, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Gulistan-e-Johar, PECHS and adjacent regions.

Due to the continuous rain in the metropolis, low-lying areas have been flooded causing citizens to face severe problems with ambulances unable to reach various locations.

Met department officials have said that the current system of rains may remain across Sindh, including Karachi, until Tuesday.

"Due to heavy rainfall which is expected to continue even tomorrow, #SindhGovt has decided to declare Monday, the 25th of July as a public holiday in Karachi & Hyderabad Divisions," Karachi Administrator Murtaza Wahab Siddiqui wrote on his official Twitter handle.

He said that a notification in this regard is being issued.

"It's been raining nonstop since early morning & severity of rainfall has increased in the last hour or so," Murtaza said in another tweet.

He also requested people to avoid unnecessary movement. "The entire administration is still on ground & relief work will start as soon as the rain stops," he added.

Sindh Minister for Information, Transport and Mass Transit Sharjeel Inam Memon also requested the private sector to keep their offices closed.

The district administration of Hyderabad is setting up 29 relief camps in the city to deal with any emergencies during the new spell of monsoon rains, which may continue till Tuesday.

According to a notification issued by the district administration, the relief camps are being established in schools and colleges and would be supervised by the relevant principals.

304 perish in rains

The monsoon rains that wreaked havoc in the country resulted in the deaths of more than 300 people, including 118 children and damaged 8,889 houses, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

A report issued by the NDMA stated that 99 deaths were reported in Balochistan, 61 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), 60 in Punjab, 70 in Sindh, eight in Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B), five in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and one death was reported in Islamabad.

Nearly 300 people were also injured in the rain-related incidents.

Anonymous said...

Good comparison btwn Karachi and Mumbai electricity rates.

Conversion is 1 indian rupee equals 3 Pakistani rupees.

So highest level prices are same. But the prices at the lowest level are too heavily subsidized by Karachi. This will bankrupt the budget.

Riaz Haq said...

Pakistan's depleted #mangroves cover in Arabian Sea growing 'rapidly'. Between 1999-2021, the mangrove area along #Pakistan’s 1,050-kilometer (652-mile) coastline has increased to over 494,000 acres from over a 113,000 acres. #Climate #GlobalWarming
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2367726/pakistans-depleted-mangrove-cover-improving-rapidly

KARACHI:
Pakistan's mangrove cover has seen rapid expansion along the Arabian Sea over the past two decades due to coordinated efforts by government agencies and environmental organizations.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency on the eve of the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem, which is celebrated on July 26 every year, Tahir Rasheed, a regional director of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Pakistan, said that in Southeast Asia, Pakistan is the only country where mangrove cover has increased dramatically over the last two decades.

Between 1999-2021, the vulnerable mangrove area along Pakistan’s 1,050-kilometer (652-mile) coastline has increased to over 200,000 hectares (over 494,000 acres) from 46,000 hectares (over a 113,000 acres).

A colossal chunk of mangrove forest falls in southern Sindh province, whereas southwestern Balochistan province, which boasts a 700-kilometer (435-mile) coastline, shares a meager portion of nearly 4,000 hectares.

“We witnessed a decline of mangrove forest from 600,000 hectares along the Sindh coastline in the early 20th century to merely 46,000 hectares in the mid-1980s. However, the cover area of mangroves has increased to over 200,000 hectares along the Sindh and Balochistan coastline over the past two decades,” Rasheed said.

Due to the “well-coordinated” plantation and rehabilitation campaigns by the Sindh Forest Department the federal government, WWF-Pakistan, and civil society organizations, the country’s mangrove cover is increasing at a “good pace,” he went on to say.

A host of projects by WWF-Pakistan alone have contributed 16,000 hectares to the country’s overall mangrove cover, apart from the rehabilitation of 32,000 hectares, he added.

Danger still lurking

Mangroves, a group of trees and shrubs that grow in the intertidal regions of tropical and subtropical coastlines, are significantly important for ecosystems and are considered the first line of defense against cyclones, strong surges, tsunamis, and other natural calamities.

The Sindh coast, particularly the port city of Karachi, has been reeling from a relentless process of morphological changes mainly due to anthropogenic activities including industrial pollution, soil erosion, deforestation, rapid industrialization, urbanization, and land degradation in addition to natural processes.

Industrial and economic infrastructure development, land-grabbing and inhabitation along the coast, and the construction of huts at beaches have adversely impacted the marine ecosystems and mangroves of the adjoining creeks, say environmentalists.

Making matters worse, some natural phenomena such as high energy waves, tidal currents, and strong winds during monsoons have also influenced changes along the coast.

Acknowledging a “rapid” increase in mangrove cover in the country, Hammad Gilani, a Lahore-based environmentalist, nonetheless observed that the danger is still lurking.

“Mangroves along Pakistan’s coastal belt and Indus Delta are still facing two key threats in the form of sea intrusion and degradation,” Gilani, a researcher at the International Water Management Institute in Lahore, told Anadolu Agency.

“Deforestation (of mangroves) is not a big problem. But degradation, which includes some justifiable livestock needs, is really an issue,” he argued.

He noted that rising sea levels have long been wreaking havoc on mangroves, especially in the Indus Delta, from where the Indus River flows into the Arabian Sea.

Also, mangroves require a systematic flow of fresh water, which unfortunately does not persist at the moment, he said.

Riaz Haq said...

Pakistan's depleted #mangroves cover in Arabian Sea growing 'rapidly'. Between 1999-2021, the mangrove area along #Pakistan’s 1,050-kilometer (652-mile) coastline has increased to over 494,000 acres from over a 113,000 acres. #Climate #GlobalWarming
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2367726/pakistans-depleted-mangrove-cover-improving-rapidly


Also, mangroves require a systematic flow of fresh water, which unfortunately does not persist at the moment, he said.

Gilani noted that the South Asian country has seen a rapid augmentation in mangrove cover after the 2010 massive floods, which, although inundating a fifth of Pakistan, made up for a freshwater shortage.

Sharing a similar view, Rasheed said: "To keep the momentum going, we have to create awareness among the masses, and especially the policymakers, about the environmental significance of the mangroves and reinforce how important they are as the threat is not over yet."

Bulwark against sea battering

Thick mangroves have long protected Karachi and its coastal communities from erosion caused by the Arabian Sea's unending waves, observed Shabina Faraz, a Karachi-based expert, who often writes on the environment.

However, she added, the fragile ecosystem faces numerous threats, from coastal development, urbanization, and encroachment to the commercial exploitation of mangroves, reduction of freshwater flows and sedimentation, erosion of coastal areas, chemical dumping, and raw sewage.

"Karachi city alone contributes 500 million gallons of untreated water to the sea. Apart from that, polluted water from 6,000 industries also contributes high-impact pollutants to the Arabian sea that negatively affect the mangrove ecosystem and marine fauna," she maintained, speaking to Anadolu Agency.

Gilani, the Lahore-based expert, said that despite an increasing mangrove cover, satellite imagery has punctuated the need for national-scale carbon sequestration reporting for a performance-based payment mechanism flowing from developed countries to developing ones.

Seconding his view, Faraz said carbon sequestration reporting could add to the national economy "significantly."

Forests lose ground around Karachi

Tariq Alexander Qaiser, a Karachi-based environmentalist, said that although the mangrove cover on the wider delta was increasing, mature forests around Karachi have been pushed back.

Urban expansion into the estuaries and intertidal lands where the mangroves are found has had a negative environmental impact, he observed.

He said serious urban flooding had resulted from construction on flood plains, whereas water outflow into the sea had also been constricted, he told Anadolu Agency.

The dying of the plants' roots holding together the mud and sand on the islands and coast, Qaiser said, has allowed sands to shift and islands to erode.

This results in greater dredging needs, and increases costs of operating ports, he maintained.

"The removal of mangrove cover from the coastline also leaves the city vulnerable to sea surges and tsunamis. This has a serious impact on human life and safety."

According to Qaiser, the deltas' mangrove cover is expanding, but the situation is "very different" on the islands and shores of the cities, especially Karachi.

He explained that these "most mature and tallest of the forests" were being cut down due to poverty and the need for fuel.

The only way to retain this very necessary forest cover is to create and enforce a nature reserve on Karachi's Islands, Qaiser argued, adding that the metropolis, home to 20 million people, needed this oxygen-producing wilderness to maintain some control over its air quality.

"We need to keep planting new mangrove forests, but equally important is the need to protect the forests that exist. Especially on the islands of Karachi."

Riaz Haq said...

Pakistan's punishing inflation changes life as 225m people know it
Poor skimp on food while those better off carpool, buy solar, aim to emigrate

https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Asia-Insight/Pakistan-s-punishing-inflation-changes-life-as-225m-people-know-it


Like everything else, the cost of riding privately operated buses in Pakistan's urban centers has jumped. Fares have risen as much as 40% in two months due to expensive diesel. So commuters are squeezing themselves into government-subsidized bus services in the few cities where they are available. From Rawalpindi to Lahore to Peshawar, these public transport systems have been reporting tens of thousands to even hundreds of thousands more daily riders than before the fuel price increases.

Meanwhile, many motorists are rationing gas. "[Gasoline] worth 400 rupees that would last us three days now finishes in a day," said one motorcyclist. "We get just enough petrol every day to get us to work and back," said another. And since gasoline theft is on the rise, many are installing fuel locks.

Data shows that Pakistanis are certainly buying less gas and diesel than they used to. Overall sales were down 14% in June versus the previous month, according to Topline Securities, a Karachi-based equities brokerage.

Khawaja Atif Ahmed, a gas station owner and the information secretary at the Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association, told Nikkei Asia that customer traffic at his station in Lahore fell 20% to 25% after the price hikes. The city's daily consumption, once more than 3 million liters, has fallen to 2.1 million to 2.2 million liters, he added.

---
Among middle-income Pakistanis who are loath to use run-down public transport, many are resorting to carpooling. Facebook pages that connect drivers and riders have mushroomed. Sana Adnan, a work-from-home mom in Karachi, set up a group called "Carpool Karachi" on Facebook after the government announced the second fuel price hike in a week in June. She said the rise in members and posts "has been overwhelming."

----
Electricity costs are also biting across all segments of society. This has had a side effect of boosting the solar power industry, though many would-be photovoltaic adopters are quickly being priced out too.

For Shoaib Saleem, managing director of Karachi-based solar panel provider Deniz Synergies, business has been booming. "Before solar panels were used by people who were environmentally concerned or were rich," he said. "Now we are getting lots of queries from businesses and the production sector, whose operational costs have doubled, as well as residences," he said.

Hoping to capitalize on the demand, dozens of companies have entered the market for solar panels. "Six years back, when we came into this business, there were only two or three [solar panel providers]," said Syed Shafi, a sales manager at Delta Power in Karachi.

Of course, solar panels are not immune to the red-hot inflation.

"Equipment is short because goods are stuck at Chinese ports due to import restrictions, which is driving up the cost of solar equipment by up to 45%," said Deniz's Saleem.

More immediate countermeasures for inflation-squeezed middle-class households include eating simpler meals and sharing bedrooms to cut air conditioning costs.

Some have had enough of compromising on living standards and are eager to emigrate.

A Karachi-based doctor in her late 30s, who requested anonymity, said her family had been considering emigration for years but stuck around, thinking economic conditions would eventually improve. Judging from the past three months, she said, "it seems we made a huge mistake."

Riaz Haq said...

Chart: Where Carsharing Is Making Inroads | Statista

https://www.statista.com/chart/24769/share-of-respondents-using-a-carsharing-service/?fbclid=IwAR0-ZSi4zHrAN8Pd2BgQLDYDYlpRtzMRHD35ZivIaF0fVO4EdYoRB7t8AgE

Carsharing has become increasingly popular across the world in recent years, particularly in urban areas where people can rely on efficient public transport or cycling for the majority of their daily tasks and use a car on the occasions where it is necessary, without having to invest in ownership.
According to data from Statista’s Global Consumer Survey (GCS), carsharing has taken off in India, with 34 percent of survey respondents stating that they had used a carshare via either a website or an app in the past twelve months. Zoomcar was the main player in the space in 2021, according to the Statista Market Forecast, with 35 percent of respondents picking the brand. The company’s business model is a hybrid of short term loan cars like 'Zipcar' and a traditional car rental agency like Sixt, allowing users to rent a car for anywhere between a few hours to a few months. The number of carshare users in the country is expected to reach 2.0m by 2026.
South Africa and Pakistan came in second and third place, with 29 percent and 24 percent of online adults, respectively. By contrast, only 12 percent of Brits said that they had carshared. This is on par with the average of the 39 countries surveyed. Australia and the US were around the same mark as the UK’s figure, at 14 percent and 12 percent.
For further information on carsharing, electric cars, battery technology and related topics, check out Statista’s 2022 report "eMobility - ​Market Insights & Data Analysis​".

Riaz Haq said...

In order to encourage the production of renewable energy in the country, the Pakistani government announced on Friday sales tax exemptions on imports of solar panels and their distribution.

http://en.ce.cn/Insight/202206/11/t20220611_37745824.shtml


Presenting the budgetary proposals for the next fiscal year in the National Assembly on Friday, Pakistani Finance Minister Miftah Ismail said that the energy sector has pivotal importance for the people as well as the industries and trade in the country, adding that at the moment fuel prices were skyrocketing, which made thermal energy expensive. “For these sectors and the people we gave an additional subsidy of 214 billion rupees,” the minister noted.

The Finance Minister proposed tax exemption on import and local supply of solar panels. He said soft loans from banks will be arranged for the people who consume less than 200 units of electricity to purchase solar panels.

The previous government of Prime Minister Imran Khan had imposed a 17 percent general sales tax. The imposition of taxes on solar panels has received criticism from different quarters.

Earlier in May, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced the reversal of the decision to tax the solar panels, which will be implemented in FY23.

Chinese companies manufacturing solar panels will have to play a crucial role in the generation of Alternative Renewable Energy (ARE) in Pakistan. At the moment, according to a market survey, more than 90 percent of solar panels and other related equipment are being imported from China. Chinese companies are executing and running solar power projects in Pakistan including 300 MW solar power projects which is operational under the umbrella of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)

In a recent interview with Gwadar Pro, former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said, “solar is very critical to Pakistan’s need today” and added, “I am expecting that China, which has the most experience in the world in solar, will come to Pakistan and help the country get more sustainable energy”. He also welcomed more Chinese companies to come to Pakistan and establish solar panel manufacturing plants in the country.

Pakistan targets an on-grid Alternative Renewable Energy (ARE) generation mix of 20 percent by 2025 and 30 percent by 2030, adding the policy targets the development of ARE projects mainly on competitive bedding, unsolicited mode limited to G2G and new technologies.

Pakistan has a population of over 225 million. Approximately 88 percent of the population has access to electricity while 12 percent remains un-electrified. The annual per capita electricity consumption in Pakistan is around 550 kWh as compared with the world average of 3,081 kWh per capita.

National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) approved Indicative Generation Capacity Expansion Plan (IGCEP) 2021 with demand supply projects till 2030. Under IGCEP, the current installed capacity of 34,776 MW will become 61,112 MW by the end of 2030. Apart from the committed pipeline projects, the IGCEP requires an addition of 10,062 MW of ARE capacity by 2030.

Riaz Haq said...

#Pakistan’s largest city #Karachi received more than an entire summer’s worth of #rain in one day. AccuWeather says the heaviest rainfall arrived Sunday when Karachi received more than triple its monthly #rainfall in just 24 hours.#Monsoon https://www.accuweather.com/en/severe-weather/pakistans-largest-city-received-more-than-an-entire-summers-worth-of-rain-in-one-day/1221899 via @accuweather

Monsoon downpours deluged portions of Pakistan this weekend and Karachi, the country's largest city, bore the brunt of the worst impacts as the floodwaters destroyed homes, inundated businesses and damaged infrastructure.

AccuWeather forecasters say the heaviest rainfall from the event arrived Sunday when Karachi received more than triple its monthly rainfall in just 24 hours.

Daily life was turned to a standstill as this deluge turned major throughways into raging rivers and left entire neighborhoods submerged. Images from the city showed residents navigating floodwaters that ranged from knee-high to chest-high in spots. Vehicles were left stranded as floodwaters climbed.

The catastrophic flooding event left all major highways in Karachi flooded, according to The Express Tribune. Due to the impossibility of safe travel for large portions of the city, the local government declared Monday a public holiday in Karachi, which closed all government offices and urged private offices to follow suit.

Karachi, Pakistan's financial and industrial hub, is located along the coast of the Arabian Sea. Some of the most densely populated areas of the city are located at, or scarcely, above sea level. The low-lying nature of the city already makes Karachi prone to flooding issues, but inadequately-constructed drainage and flood management systems compound the issue considerably.

Rainwater even mixed with sewage in some locations and this contaminated water rushed into homes and businesses.

Murtaza Wahab, the Karachi administrator, told The New York Times that the city has an old drainage and sewage infrastructure that could not cope with the torrential rains and acknowledged that updates were critical.

Floodwaters in recent days have damaged more than 5,500 homes as well as critical infrastructure like highways and bridges, according to a report from Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority.

This weekend's flooding was the second destructive flooding event the city has had to endure this month alone. Earlier in July, another deluge of monsoon rainfall left Karachi underwater.

Since the middle of June, monsoon rainfall and subsequent flooding have resulted in more than 280 deaths throughout Pakistan, according to The Associated Press (AP).

The amount of rainfall the city has already received this month is astounding, forecasters say.

"Karachi received 2.36 inches (60 mm) of rain on Sunday due to a weak monsoon low that formed near southwestern Rajasthan, India, over the weekend," AccuWeather Lead International Forecaster Jason Nicholls explained.

So far this July, the city has recorded just over 8 inches (200 mm) of rainfall which equates to 1,147 percent of normal for the month, according to Nicholls. Karachi typically receives less than an inch (25 mm) of rain in July and just over 1.50 inches (38 mm) of rain over the course of the summer months.

Furthermore, even in the highly unlikely event that not a single drop of rain falls in Karachi for the rest of the year, the city would still end 2022 with over 260 percent of its normal precipitation.

The monsoon normally arrives in Pakistan around July 8, but this year it arrived several days early, according to Nicholls.

"Part of the reason for the excessively wet July is that the monsoon [axis] has been located south of its normal position for much of the month," Nicholls explained.

Riaz Haq said...

Pakistan on Tuesday raised electricity prices to match rising generation costs amid a global energy crisis and a heatwave, even as the country grapples with its highest inflation in over a decade, the power minister said.

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/pakistan-raises-power-prices-amid-energy-crisis-despite-rampant-inflation-2022-07-26/

Inflation last month reached 21.3%, driven mainly by rising food costs, and the country also faces fast-depleting foreign reserves, a depreciating currency and widening current account deficit.

"Cabinet has approved an increase in electricity tariffs but lifeline (poor) consumers will not be affected,” Power Minister Khurram Dastagir Khan told reporters in Islamabad, adding that the increase would not apply to them.

Pakistan's monthly fuel oil imports are set to hit a four-year high in June, Refinitiv data shows, as the country struggles to buy liquefied natural gas for power generation amid a heatwave that is driving demand.

Higher energy imports have hit the economy as the country struggles to boost foreign exchange. The rupee has lost 20% of its value in 2022. Reserves have fallen to as low as $9.3 billion, hardly enough to pay for 45 days of imports.

Pakistan this month reached a staff-level agreement with the IMF for $1.17 billion in critical funding under a resumed bailout package.

The country is also pushing to tap other avenues for power. The minister said that nuclear power production had risen after the refuelling of one plant.

From the beginning of July, the K2 plant has been operating at full capacity.

Moin A. said...

Riaz: Congratulations on your purchase of Tesla. I have to agree with Shams here that buying a new Tesla does not help Climate Change. However, the addition of the Rooftop solar panels does somewhat contribute towards helping lower the carbon footprint. Though,depending on who you ask, it is debatable what exactly is the amount of savings.

Riaz Haq said...

Moin: "buying a new Tesla does not help Climate Change"

The global transportation sector is a major polluter and in 2020 produced approximately 7.3 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Passenger cars were the biggest source of emissions that year, accounting for 41 percent of global transportation emissions.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1185535/transport-carbon-dioxide-emissions-breakdown/#:~:text=The%20global%20transportation%20sector%20is,percent%20of%20global%20transportation%20emissions.

Riaz Haq said...

#China's #BYD cuts into #Tesla's lead in global #EV sales, reaching No. 2. BYD, which was fourth in 2021, sold 324,000 EVs in the January-June half to pass #Chinese rival SAIC Motor & #Volkswagen. Tesla led with 564,000 vehicles sold in first half of 2022. https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Automobiles/BYD-cuts-into-Tesla-s-lead-in-global-EV-sales-reaching-No.-2

China's BYD became the world's No. 2 seller of electric vehicles globally for the first six months of 2022 on the strength of lower-priced models, trailing only Tesla, while the Hyundai Motor group rose to fifth, in a Nikkei ranking.

BYD, which was fourth in 2021, sold 324,000 EVs in the January-June half to pass Chinese rival SAIC Motor and Volkswagen. The Berkshire Hathaway-backed company ended production of gasoline-powered vehicles in March to focus on electrics and plug-in hybrids.

BYD also sold more than 300,000 plug-in hybrids in the first half of 2022. When these are considered along with the EVs, the company ranked as the world's top seller of electrified autos.

BYD's broad EV lineup, including the Yuan Plus sport utility vehicle and the Dolphin subcompact, centers on the 100,000 to 200,000 yuan ($15,000 to $30,000) range. The relatively low prices have helped to attract younger car buyers. Plans to sell passenger vehicles in Japan were announced last week, with an SUV among the offerings from 2023.

For the ranking, Nikkei used data from market research firm MarkLines and automakers, covering roughly 3 million EVs sold in 66 major markets.

Tesla, the market leader in 2021, remained on top in the first half of 2022, with sales of 564,000 vehicles. But it hit a few speed bumps this year.

COVID-19 lockdowns in China slowed production at the EV maker's Shanghai plant, limiting sales growth for the first half to 46% from a year earlier -- compared with around 90% growth in 2021. Telsa's EV sales grew by about half on the year in the first half, while BYD's count more than tripled.

With new factories in Berlin and the U.S. state of Texas, Tesla seeks to boost sales of its popular Model Y compact SUV.

The Hyundai group's EV sales doubled to 169,000 vehicles. The Ioniq 5 SUV that debuted in 2021 features an EV-specific platform, helping to extend its range. The vehicle can run 100 km on a five-minute charge. Sharing components with affiliate Kia's EV6 has reduced costs.

Hyundai's sales growth is driven by a shift in its mainstay U.S. market, where sharply higher gasoline prices have accelerated the move to EVs. The Hyundai group sold 13,000 each of the Ioniq 5 and the EV6 in the U.S. in the first half of the year.

For the April-June quarter, EV sales in the U.S. grew 70% to 204,000 vehicles, according to MarkLines, to account for 6% of overall sales there.

SAIC slipped to third, with 310,000 vehicles sold in the first half, facing a slowdown in sales of the Hongguang Mini EV made by joint venture SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile. Priced under $4,500 at 2021 exchange rates, the car was a hit in China's regional cities. But the higher cost of materials forced a price hike, dampening sales.

Meanwhile, Japanese carmakers have fallen behind. Some had expected that the spike in gasoline prices would push car buyers toward hybrids, but EV sales have grown faster.

The alliance of Nissan Motor, Renault and Mitsubishi Motors dropped to sixth, with 133,000 vehicles sold. Toyota Motor and Honda Motor sold 10,000 EVs each, ranking outside the top 20.

The top 20 EV sellers included 12 Chinese carmakers. New York-listed XPeng's sales grew 120% while Hozon New Energy Automobile sold three times as many units as in the same period the previous year. Leapmotor, a Hangzhou-based startup founded in 2015, sold 50,000 vehicles to break into the top 20 at 17th place.

On the EV sales outlook for the second half, S&P Global Mobility's Masatoshi Nishimoto says that "sales are likely to grow with China and Europe continuing their subsidies."

Riaz Haq said...

This Fully Localized Electric Rickshaw is Roomier Than Wagon R

https://propakistani.pk/2022/07/30/this-fully-localized-electric-rickshaw-is-roomier-than-wagon-r/

According to a company representative, MUVA electric rickshaws are made in Pakistan completely from scratch at their state-of-the-art facility in Lahore.

Pakistan Auto Show (PAS) 2022 saw participation from numerous promising prospects. One such up-and-comer is YES Electromotive — a fully indigenous electric vehicle (EV) maker that seeks to launch MUVA electric rickshaws in Pakistan.

The company is still fine-tuning the product through testing and extensive research and development before officially launching these rickshaws in the market, the representative said.

Short for Modular Utility Vehicle Architecture, MUVA covers a development program for light commercial vehicles. These tiny EVs will serve the same purpose as a conventional rickshaw, but with zero tail-pipe emissions and at almost 7-times less running cost than a petrol-powered three-wheeler.

MUVA electric rickshaw is an ultra-light commercial EV that seats a driver and three passengers. It has a maximum payload capacity of 300 KGs and a curb weight of 450 KGs. It has a single permanent magnet electric motor that makes up to 10.7 horsepower.

The company representative added that the MUVA rickshaw will be sold as a commercial EV only and that the company will aim for fleet sales. He added that YES Electromotive also seeks to adopt a ride-hailing service operating model, whereby the riders will be able to summon these rickshaws via a mobile app.

YES Electromotive is shaping up to be a promising addition to Pakistan’s public transport sector. Stay tuned for more details.


Zen, Germany said...

Riaz,

Meat and diary industry contributes 20% to global warming, so it would be interesting what your take there is. I personally do not buy the argument that becoming vegan is the answer.

Here I see an interesting dichotomy between Hindus which has a large share of vegetarians and westerners. Western vegetarians understand that it is hard to continue consuming milk products while condemning meat eating. In Sapiens, Yual Hariri puts forward a host of arguments about what is wrong with diary industry. But Hindus (and south Asians in general) loves to consume milk products on every course of the meal and will never be able to sustain without milk (many do avoid eggs though).

All in all, it will be wise for Muslims to reconsider their dietary habits for two reasons: 1) It is unhealthy industrialized production processes which allowed Muslims at the lowest end of the income to consume this much meat. It is healthier to follow a balanced diet with less meat probably. 2) The lifestyle of Muslims will be put increasingly under pressure by secular Jews and Brahminical elites alike, both of whom are overrepresented in political and moral philosophical arguments. Among many other things, the proud culinary culture coming from the Mughal times will be put under test as well based on everything from global warming to animal cruelty. Unless Muslim world starts producing Ibn Sinas and Averroeses again, there are no-one capable enough to give counterpunch arguments.



Riaz Haq said...

Solar plant to replace 300MW Gwadar coal power project
The project was conceived under the CPEC and approved in 2016

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/976586-solar-plant-to-replace-300mw-gwadar-coal-power-project


The Power Division has decided to abandon the 300MW imported coal-based power plant at Gwadar and replace it with a solar plant.

The project was conceived under the CPEC and approved in 2016, but its formal construction had not started. Now the government wants China to install a solar power plant of the same capacity after the government decided not to install any new power plant based on imported fuel in the future.

“We have decided to abandon the project, but we will have to take up the issue at various CPEC forums with our Chinese counterparts. CPEC projects have sensitivity and importance which is why the Power Division’s decision to replace the imported coal-based project at Gwadar with a solar plant is being kept at a low profile,” an official said.

Federal Minister for Power Division Khurram Dastgir Khan also hinted the government wanted the Chinese power plant at Gwadar to be replaced with a solar power plant of 300MW. Talking to The News, he also added that the government had decided to ban new power plants based on imported fuel and would add new capacity to electricity generation based on local fuel, such as Thar coal, wind, solar, and hydel. “However, the government will continue the policy to install more nuclear power plants,” he added.

More importantly, the minister said, the government has also decided to convert the existing imported coal-based power plants of 3,960MW, including the Port Qasim plant, Sahiwal power plant and China Hub plant, each having the capacity to generate 1,320MW of electricity, to local coal. The fuel import bill had eaten up almost $20 billion in the first 11 months of the last fiscal 2021-22. The initiative is being taken to scale down the fuel import bill and reduce reliance on imported fuel for power generation. The minister said the process to convert the three projects to local coal would take investment and time as boilers of the plants would need some specific changes for calibration with Thar coal.

The Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) for the CPEC had decided in its 6th meeting held in Beijing in December 2016 that a 300MW imported coal-fired power project must be developed on a fast-track basis at Gwadar. The tariff of the project was determined in September 2019, land for the project was acquired in February 2020 and the project management was signed on April 8, 2021. The Nepra also issued a generation licence to the project management. However, the financial close of the project has not yet been completed as it is still under process. The project is still on the list of under-construction CPEC projects. However, its construction has not started yet. That is why top officials of the Power Division have decided to abandon the project and replace it with a solar power plant under its new policy not to install a new power plant base on imported coal in future.

Pakistan is currently importing 30 to 70MW of electricity from Iran under an agreement of 110MW. Sometimes, Pakistan has some fluctuation in electricity import because of demand in Iran. Pakistan had inked a new agreement of importing 100MW electricity for which a transmission line would be laid from Polan (Iran) to Gwadar by the end of 2022, or the start of 2023. The government has also increased its emphasis on laying its own infrastructure in Balochistan and the NTDC will lay a high transmission line of 500kv from Makran coast to Gwadar.

Riaz Haq said...

Fortunately, the United States has finally decided to address it head-on: The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, easily the largest climate bill in U.S. history, has cleared both the Senate and the House. It invests $369 billion to help get the country off fossil fuels and gives the Department of Energy $250 billion to lend to companies shaping the clean energy future. Together, these measures will leverage many hundreds of billions of dollars spent by businesses and households alike, producing and purchasing things like electric vehicles, solar panels and heat pumps.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/12/opinion/environment/climate-bill-house-inflation-reduction.html

The bill’s High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Program offers up to $8,000 to install heat pumps that both cool and heat homes, replacing air-conditioners and, typically, gas furnaces. If the current water heater runs on gas, the program supports going all in with a heat pump (a $1,750 rebate).

Fully electrifying one’s home also often means improving electric wiring (another $2,500 rebate), and the full benefits of home electrification only come with sealing gaps and insulating ($1,600). Switch from a gas range to an induction stove and get up to $840 back. Add solar panels on the roof (a 30 percent tax credit), batteries as backup (30 percent) and an electric vehicle in the garage (up to $7,500 per new car and $4,000 per used car), and home electrification is complete.


Rochi said...

Agree with Riaz Haq. Buying an electric vehicle won't save the environment as there are several things that should consider for environment safety.

Riaz Haq said...

Pakistan among 26 countries which added over 1,000 MW of solar electricity in 2022

https://www.euronews.com/green/2023/06/13/spain-germany-poland-which-european-countries-added-the-most-solar-power-in-2022

Where are the major solar countries?
More countries than ever are real “solar contenders”, the report shows.

In 2022, the number of major solar countries - defined as those installing at least 1 GW annually - grew from 12 to 26. By 2025, the report predicts that more than 50 countries will be installing more than 1 GW of solar per year.

European countries make up 12 of the solar heavyweights, led by Spain, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands and Italy.

Poland’s solar development has flown past expectations. It’s mostly due to a surge in small rooftop ‘prosumer’ systems that enable homeowners to be rewarded for producing as well as consuming energy.

Ranked by the amount of extra solar they installed last year, here is the full list of the 26 major solar powers:

1. China
2. US
3. India
4. Brazil
5. Spain
6. Germany
7. Japan
8. Poland
9. The Netherlands
10. Australia
11. South Korea
12. Italy
13. France
14. Taiwan
15. Chile
16. Denmark
17. Turkiye
18. Greece
19. South Africa
20. Austria
21. UK
22. Mexico
23. Hungary
24. Pakistan
25. Israel
26. Switzerland

Riaz Haq said...

Community solar subscriptions can reduce electricity costs for consumers - Profit by Pakistan Today


https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2023/02/25/community-solar-subscriptions-can-reduce-electricity-costs-for-consumers/

Rooftop solar installations have been a success story in Pakistan for the past few years, with more than 20,000 net metering licenses issued by the end of 2021-22, adding 450MW to the system. The 10x reduction in solar panel prices during the last decade, steep escalation in electricity tariffs, and net metering have made solar installation one of the best investments, with a payback of fewer than four years, while providing an excellent hedge against inflation and tariff escalation. Advanced LFP (Lithium Ferrous Phosphate) batteries, with 15 plus years life, are also becoming financially feasible for peak hours use with imminent peak rate hike.

Despite the success of rooftop solar, there is still much room for growth. There are 610,000 households in Pakistan using 700 plus units and 16.8 million households consuming 300-700 units on average per month. The country can easily achieve at least 10,000MW of rooftop solar installations on just 5 percent of these houses during the next five years by continuing with the current net metering and export rate incentives.

For households using 500–700 units per month, rooftop installations can be accelerated by providing incentives such as reinstating low-cost loans, removing current limitations on net metering, and eliminating 17pc general sales tax on solar equipment for 10KW or smaller installations. However, rooftop solar is not a practical option for lower-income households (300–500 units per month consumption) because of higher cost per kilowatt for a smaller system, financial constraints, roof space availability, rental housing, and apartment living.

This is where community solar comes in as a practical and lower cost solution for these households and industrial facilities. In the community solar subscription model, consumers either purchase or rent a small portion of a large solar farm operated by the utility or a private developer. For example, for a 100 MW solar farm located near an industrial zone, multiple industrial facilities can purchase 20pc of this farm’s capacity (20MW), providing equity investment, while the remaining 80pc (80MW) can be subscribed (rented) by 80,000 low usage household (300-500 units) customers with a limit of 1KW for each.

Because of economies of scale, the per kilowatt cost of these solar farms is 15-20pc lower than a rooftop system, thus reducing the purchase or rental cost. Also, since the industry will be providing equity investment, there won’t be a need to find large investors for these solar farms.

Riaz Haq said...

Solar power installations in Pakistan have seen remarkable growth, with an installed capacity of over 2,368 MW as of FY22, reflecting the rising popularity and potential of solar energy.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2420254/can-pakistan-capitalise-on-solar-as-it-becomes-popular


In recent years, Pakistan has witnessed substantial investments in solar power projects, both domestic and foreign. It has introduced a financing scheme for renewable energy to make financing available for consumers in the private sector to invest in renewable electricity generation. Until February 2022, SBP had provided Rs74 billion (about $400 million) in financing to over 1,175 projects with a combined capacity of 1,375 MW in renewable energy.

The World Bank also reports that Pakistan has a potential of 40 GW of solar power and has set a target of achieving 20% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2025.

Pakistan has been heavily reliant on fossil fuels, particularly oil and gas, for power generation. However, the power production mix has undergone some changes in recent years.

According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), as of 2020, fossil fuels accounted for approximately 63% of the total power generation, followed by hydropower at 29%, nuclear energy at 5%, and renewable energy at around 3%.

Despite its vast potential for solar energy, Pakistan has only scratched the surface of its capabilities. The country is blessed with abundant sunshine, making it an ideal location for solar power generation. Pakistan’s government, recognising the importance of renewable energy, has introduced favourable policies and incentives to promote solar energy development. The Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) offers net metering and feed-in tariffs to encourage residential and commercial solar installations.

The increasing attractiveness of solar energy is expected to drive significant capital investment in Pakistan. Foreign direct investment (FDI) in the renewable energy sector has already been on the rise. Solar projects, including large-scale solar farms and distributed solar installations, offer lucrative investment opportunities. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has also played a crucial role in fostering solar energy cooperation between the two countries.

Several challenges need to be addressed to fully harness Pakistan’s solar energy potential. These challenges include the high initial costs of solar installations, limited access to financing, lack of awareness about solar energy benefits, and inadequate grid infrastructure.

To overcome these obstacles, the current government is working on a new 25-year energy policy that seeks to have 20-30% of all energy derived from renewable energy sources by 2030. The policy also aims to reduce dependence on imported fuel products and increase the share of indigenous resources.

The current government has approved the Alternative and Renewable Energy Policy 2019, which provides incentives and facilitation for renewable energy projects. The previous government also faced challenges in implementing the National Electricity Policy 2021, which was approved by the Council of Common Interests in February 2021.

The policy aimed to ensure affordable, reliable and sustainable electricity supply for all consumers, but faced resistance from some provinces and stakeholders over issues such as tariff determination, power sector governance and distribution reforms. The shift towards solar energy as an attractive investment option signifies a significant turning point in Pakistan’s power production landscape. The country has ample solar resources that can be harnessed to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels, enhance energy security, and contribute to environmental sustainability.

With supportive government policies, increased foreign investment, and technological advancements, solar energy has the potential to revolutionise Pakistan’s power generation sector.

Riaz Haq said...

Renewables developer Oracle Power PLC has signed a cooperation agreement with Chinese state-owned energy company PowerChina to jointly develop a 1GW solar PV project in Pakistan.

https://www.pv-tech.org/oracle-power-powerchina-to-build-1gw-solar-pv-plant-in-pakistan/

Located in Oracle’s Thar Block VI land – where it is currently developing a coal minefield – the project will be built in the southeast province of Sindh.

The agreement includes a feasibility study both companies will conduct, however, Oracle has not disclosed any date for the commercial operation of the solar project.

Power generated from the plant will either be integrated into the national grid or sold through power purchase agreements.

Oracle Power has been active in Pakistan lately where it signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Chinese state-owned China Electric Power and Technology for the potential development, financing, construction, operation and maintenance of a green hydrogen project in the Sindh Province.

Along with the construction of a green hydrogen facility, the MoU also includes the development of a hybrid project with 700MW of solar PV, 500MW of wind power and an undisclosed capacity for battery storage.

The 1GW solar PV project with PowerChina will be located 250 kilometres away from the proposed green hydrogen project Oracle aims to build in Pakistan.

Naheed Memon, CEO of Oracle, said: “The proposed development of the Thar Solar Project provides Oracle with the opportunity to not only develop a sizeable renewable energy project in Pakistan, but also to bring a long-term and sustainable business to our Thar Block VI asset.”

Riaz Haq said...

10,000mw solar power plants to be installed before summers 2023
These solar plants will generate 10,000 megawatts of electricity under the initiative, saving Pakistan's billions of dollars.


https://www.globalvillagespace.com/10000mw-solar-power-plants-to-be-installed-before-summers-2023/

The prime minister directed that work on the project begin immediately in order to bring respite to the masses before the next summer season begins.

These solar plants will generate 10,000 megawatts of electricity under the initiative, saving Pakistan’s billions of dollars.

In the initial phase, the electricity generated will be distributed to government buildings, tube-wells, and families that utilize less units of electricity.

He has also directed that a conference be held next week to solicit bids for the project.

The prime minister, who presided over a conference in Islamabad to bring huge relief to the people, stated that solar energy should be used instead of imported oil. The decision was taken with an aim to save the foreign exchange rate as the country would not need to spend billions of dollars on importing fuel for electricity generation.

He urged that the project be implemented as soon as possible by the relevant authorities.

The situation of loss in income and rising electricity bills makes a huge economic and financial burden on households. Skyrocketing electricity bills have blown the minds of consumers.

Consumers strongly condemned skyrocketed electricity bills in the month of August, even during long hours of unscheduled load shedding followed by blackouts by Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) and demanded that the federal government take up this burning issue immediately.

The Rawalpindi bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) Tuesday suspended the collection of fuel price adjustment in electricity bills.

Justice Jawad Ul Hassan, while hearing the writ petition filed against the increase of taxes, directed WAPDA and NEPRA not to charge tax on consumers’ electricity bills. The judge also summoned the head of IESCO on September 15 and issued notices to the parties concerned to appear before the Court on the next hearing.


Riaz Haq said...

WAPDA & Al Maktoum's private office join hands for solar power development in Pakistan


https://www.globalvillagespace.com/wapda-al-maktoums-private-office-join-hands-for-solar-power-development-in-pakistan/


Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) and the Private Office of Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum have signed two strategic memorandum of understanding (MoUs) for the development of a floating solar power project of up to 1000MW on existing water reservoirs and the rehabilitation, upgradation, and capacity enhancement of four hydro power projects in Pakistan.

Chairman Lt. Gen. Sajjad Ghani (Retd) of WAPDA and Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum expressed their mutual interest and enthusiasm to collaborate on future, long-term projects in Pakistan’s energy sector, with a specific focus on developing renewable energy solutions.

The MoUs aim to create a cooperative framework between the Private Office and WAPDA, facilitating collaboration and exploration of investment opportunities in Pakistan’s energy sector, particularly focusing on WAPDA’s small hydro power projects.

Read more: CPEC’s first hydropower plant in Pakistan begins full operations

Both parties have agreed to collaborate on upgrading and rehabilitating hydro power projects in Renala, Rasul, Chichokimalian, and Nandipur.

The parties have mutually agreed to collaborate in assessing the technical and economic feasibility of these projects, as well as formulating an implementation plan.