The stage is being set for the development of renewable energy in Pakistan on a fast track basis. An Alternative Energy Development Board has been established at the Prime Minister’s Secretariat, in July 2003, to promote the use of alternative and renewable energy resources.

Measures are to be taken to harness the potential of commercialization of these resources, mainly solar and wind, through creation of a strong base for the assimilation of relevant technologies.

The board has set a target of achieving progressively a 10 per cent share for renewable energy in the total energy generated by the year 2015.

The Pakistan Council of Renewable Energy Technologies, operating under the ministry of science and technology, is responsible for research, development and promotion of technologies related to alternative sources of energy. The Council accords priority to the development of power generation through wind turbines, and has recently acquired the technology, as well as financial assistance from the European and the Chinese sources for the purpose.

The Council has initiated a number of projects though nothing is on ground as yet. It plans to set up a pilot project of 60 kW near Karachi. Another project, to be established with the Chinese assistance in southern coastal region of Sindh and Balochistan, is envisaged as a demonstration station for wind power generation. China will supply 14 wind turbines, each of 5 kW capacity for the project meant for rural electrification. The Council also proposes to establish 100 wind turbines of various capacities in the coastal areas of Karachi, Badin and along the Makran coast. Initiative has also been taken by the government to establish a 100-150 MW wind farm near Karachi under the UNDP funding for early stages of the project. The ministry of environment, local government and rural development has launched the project for which a feasibility was prepared by the international agencies.

Energy is reckoned as the starting step towards implementing any plan for prosperity and industrial development. Pakistan’s total installed power generation capacity is 17,728 MW, whereas it is projected to be 26,750 MW by the year 2010-2011. At present, the share of renewable energy in the total energy picture of Pakistan is non-existent. Demand for electricity, particularly inexpensive and cost effective electricity will continue to grow in coming years, given the present energy scenario. Thus, there is a need to develop many of the alternatives and cheaper sources of energy. Wind is the most important renewable, sustainable and emission-free source of energy. One of the oldest widely used sources of energy, wind has recently become fastest growing energy source all over the world. The realization that fossil fuels are in limited supply has played a dominant role in the wind power technological advancement on a large scale, particularly during the last 10 years or so.

Technology, developed over the years, has now proved to be reliable and durable. And technology is continually improving since wind turbines provide a number of benefits as the fuel is free and has neither environmental pollution nor bad effect on health.

The electricity generated by wind turbines is used for many applications, from large utility scale power plants to small single turbines for home or village use. Wind power generation units may be grid-connected to supply electricity to the national system or may stand alone to provide electricity to remote areas. More jobs per unit energy are created in this case as compared to other forms of power generation. The limitation of the system is it is inflexible and intermittent.

Wind turbines already generate electricity the world over at economically competitive rates. By the end of year 2000 the global wind power generation installed capacity was to the level of about 17,600 MW. Europe operates wind turbines to generate 12,972MW, with Germany as world leader. In the US alone, wind turbines produce more than 3,000 MW electricity annually. There has been a dramatic growth of wind power generation in Germany and Denmark in recent years. As many as 237 wind turbines producing 300MW electricity were commissioned in Germany in early 2001, whereas the country already generated 6,113 MW based on wind by the end of year 2000. Similarly, total installed capacity for electricity in Denmark stemming from wind power was 2,297 MW in the year 2000, which accounted for 14 per cent of the total electricity consumed.

Seventy-five per cent of this capacity has been installed only during 1997 and 2000. Denmark boasts the world’s largest offshore wind farm, which would generate 4,000 MW on achieving final stage of completion.

Wind energy costs compare favourably with conventional fossil-fuelled power plants, and costs continue to decline steadily and substantially as technology improves. In the US, the wind power generation costs have lowered to an average of 2.5 cents per kWh. India claims that the wind power generation costs between 2 to 2.5 Indian rupees depending upon the site conditions. Though many countries produce and supply small capacity wind turbines, at present there are over 30 manufacturers of wind turbines in the range of 250kw to 2.5 MW each, pre-dominantly in the US, Denmark, Germany, New Zealand, Australia and Japan.

India is reported to have installed a total capacity of 1,220 MW wind power generation, and there are two domestic manufacturers of wind turbines. Norway has developed a combined wind/diesel power plant for autonomous power supply, which will reduce the fuel cost by 50 to 70 per cent depending on wind conditions. A Danish company also offers software for designing wind turbine farms.

Pakistan has 900km long coastal line with a sizeable wind potential having wind regime suitable for wind power generation in coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan, as well as in a few northern valleys of the NWFP. Based on the available data on wind speed/velocity in these areas, experts estimate a potential to generate electricity up to 2,000 to 3,000 MW. In fact, wind power is unlimited and it is up to us to exploit the resource, optimally.

No concerted effort has been made as yet to apply wind energy technology to power generation in Pakistan. In response to the Energy Policy 1994 two American investors in collaboration with local companies had shown interest to establish wind power projects in Pakistan. The Kenetech wind power project, to generate 100 MW electricity, was to set up in Balochistan, and the Omega-Zond wind power farm of 150 MW capacity was planned for Sindh. None of the projects could, however, see the light of the day. In recent past Messrs Vestas of Denmark made a proposal to the Private Power and Infrastructure Board, in association with the local private sector. It is reported that the project was not approved as it lacked credentials, and no feasibility report of the project was prepared.

The non-availability of wind turbines and allied equipment locally can seriously hamper the efforts to develop the wind energy systems. In Pakistan, engineering units such as the Heavy Mechanical Complex, the Pakistan Machine Tool Factory and the Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works have the requisite capacity and the capability to manufacture wind turbines and accessories. All the components of a wind turbine e.g., blades, controller, gearbox, shafts, rotor, tower etc., can be manufactured at either of these production facilities.

Nonetheless, the selected advanced technology has to be acquired from abroad as the research activities related to the atmospheric fluid dynamics, aerodynamics and structural dynamics are involved in the selection of turbine size and configuration. The ministry of science and technology has taken initiative in this direction, and its Pakistan Council of Renewable Energy Technologies is currently in the process of evaluating proposals for local manufacturing of various capacities of wind turbines under the technology transfer programme. Also, the newly created Alternative Energy Development Board is negotiating with the German and Danish companies for cooperation in setting up wind turbines in Pakistan. Meanwhile, the ministry has included the wind technology amongst the selected fields for the award of foreign scholarships to Pakistani engineers and scientists.

The wind energy system offers clean power at fixed price. It requires moderate capital outlay, short lead time, lower line losses and increased energy efficiency of electricity distribution. The only negative aspects, in our case, are the remoteness of area, poor communications in most of the region, and low return on investment. Nonetheless, the meteorological studies of potential sites having been conducted and the windmill pumping installations already being available in the country, the wind energy projects for power generation will be economically viable.

The Policy for Power Generation Projects Year 2002 provides fiscal and financial incentives and concessions to small power plants of up to 50 MW capacity, to be implemented through a one-window facility available at the provinces. Also, according to the policy, small power plants, intending to serve locations not connected or not likely to be connected to the national grid, are to be developed and established by the respective provinces. There is a need, however, to create awareness at the national level about the benefits of wind power system.

Indeed, if the implementation and the performance of these projects in hand is successful, the wind turbine may prove to be a popular energy project in Pakistan for its cheapness, reliability and environmental friendliness. This will motivate prospective investors to respond to the Power Policy 2002 and establish power projects based on the wind resources.