The Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) has allowed a private company to install a 10-megawatt solar energy power plant in Multan. As sun shines with full might in vast planes of Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan, there is a tremendous potential in the country to produce solar energy and overcome the electricity shortage.
The AEDB was set up in 2006 to develop alternative energy resources to meet the growing demand of electricity. However, due to political instability, terrorism and inconsistent policies, the country is still bearing the brunt of electricity load shedding.
The wheel of industry needs electricity and when it is not, the economy collapses. The country has been facing energy crisis for the last many years, but only half-hearted step are taken. When most of the European and African countries are shifting towards solar power, Pakistan has stuck to the old methods and is not ready to accept the new realities. China has fully utilised the situation and has emerged as a major solar panel supplier.
Wheneverthe government comes up with a plan to involve private sector in a development project, it is more concerned about the collection of taxes and duties rather than facilitating the investors. Also on its part, the government never finds itself in a position to encourage the local investors what to speak of attracting foreign investment.And the government officials seemnever be in a mood to apply their minds to diagnose root-cause of a problem. In the solar energy sector, the government should have encouraged the local investors to manufacture photovoltaic cells which convert heat into electricity. Allowing installation of solar power plants by resorting to wholesale import of photovoltaic cells from China will be just wastage of money because practically solar panels have very short life. If manufacturing of solar cells and panels starts in Pakistan, we will not only be able to meet our own energy requirements but would also be able to earn foreign exchange by exploiting the solar energy markets in Europe and Africa.