ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is blessed with enormous solar potential and it can generate around three million megawatts of electricity from solar sources, an official of the FPCCI said on Sunday.
Focus on solar power is essential for energy security which will not only fulfil all our needs but that of dozens of other nations, said Chairman of FPCCI Regional Committee on Industries Atif Ikram Sheikh.
He said that our government spends about 12 billion dollars annually on the import of crude oil of which 70 percent oil is used to generate power that costs us Rs18 per unit.
Shifting to solar energy can help reduce electricity costs down to Rs six to eight per unit which can help millions of people in Pakistan not connected to the national grid, he added.
Atif Ikram Sheikh said that the cost of solar power has come down substantially therefore it should be focused.
He informed that global usage of solar power jumped from five GW to 227 GW during 2005-2010 while the cost of power generation has been reduced from 76 dollars per KV in 1977 to three cents.
Therefore, he said, Dubai has started establishing an 800mw solar power project which will provide electricity at a cost of three cents per unit.
Pakistan has matchless potential for solar, wind and other renewable forms of clean energy but it is way behind than China, India and Bangladesh, he said, adding that time has come for the government to promote renewable to ensure energy security.
