KARACHI: It is high time that Pakistan adopts a safe and balanced approach towards exploitation of its vast coal reserves for power generation, causing least harm to the environment, to overcome energy shortfall and to protect its precious foreign exchange.

This was one of the main recommendations of a seminar on “Coal energy: myths and facts” organised by the Citizens for Environment in collaboration with the Institution of Engineers Pakistan (IEP).

The speakers noted that Pakistan’s reliance on coal for electricity production had been much less than the global average for the same, so this indigenous energy source should extensively be used to protect precious foreign exchange reserves, which were otherwise constantly being spent to import expensive fossil fuels.

They highlighted that many European nations had been compelled to revive their decades-old coal-based electricity plants to avoid global energy insecurity caused due to the continuing war between Russia and Ukraine.

IEP chairman Engineer Sohail Basheer said indigenous coal reserves had been proven the cheapest energy source the world over after hydroelectricity.

He said the coal reserves in Thar could go a long way to make Pakistan an energy surplus country with least reliance on imported fuel for power production.

Dr Azim Akbar, an energy expert, said Pakistan had one of the world’s largest reserves of lignite coal that were largely untapped.

“In addition to power production, the coal reserves in the country could easily be converted into liquid fuels and gas that is useful for a number of industries,” he noted.

Dr Nuzhat Khan, former director general of the National Institute of Oceanography, said all the relevant academic and research institutions should join hands to do collaborative work to accurately determine Pakistan’s coal footprint.

“The exact assessment of the national coal footprint would be helpful to adopt a safe strategy for exploiting indigenous coal reserves for power generation. Also, Pakistan should adopt the latest clean technologies for coal-based power generation.”

Rashid Usmani, an environmental consultant, suggested forming a committee comprising all the relevant experts for adopting an effective national strategy for consuming indigenous coal reserves of the country for power generation with maximum safeguards for the environment.

Zeeshan Liaquat of Pakistan International Bulk Terminal said the PIBT at the Port Qasim had the adequate capacity and full commitment to export Pakistan’s lignite coal reserves for earning foreign exchange.

Faisal Iqbal Siddiqui, General Manager Technical, Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company spoke about the vast potential of Thar Coal, and how the company has been able to exploit this vast natural energy source and, at the same time, mitigate the environmental effects associated with coal-usage.

“The lignite available in Pakistan, especially in Thar, is as good as anywhere in the world. Thar has the potential to solve the energy crises of Pakistan for ages to come,” he emphasised.

A question-answer session was later held during which the audience debated and argued on various aspects of coal usage, handling and transportation, especially those occurring in the immediate vicinity of human habitat.

To a question about the underground gasification of coal, it was explained that in the presence of tried and tested power generation through coal power plants, underground gasification was a tricky method, which still needed more development to be able to match the power generation capacity of coal power plants.

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2022