Islamabad: Pakistan has expressed interest in collaboration with Denmark to locally manufacture wind turbines and solar panels to achieve the country’s clean energy goal and to reduce the cost of renewable energy.
Pakistan and Denmark have formed a joint technical working group to develop the mechanism for government-to-government collaboration on renewable energy. The decision was announced after the meeting of federal energy minister Omar Ayub Khan with Danish energy specialists along with Ambassador of Denmark Lis Rosenholm. PM’s aide on power Tabish Gauhr and secretary power division Zafar Ali Bhutta also attended the meeting. Both sides reviewed the renewable energy potential in Pakistan and the prospects of collaboration in the clean energy sector. The Danish Energy Agency experts shared the report on technical support to Pakistan in renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors.
Support Pakistan’s green energy transition
Danish Ambassador Lis Rosenholm offered support to assist Pakistan’s green transition, saying that her team would be working with Pakistan ”to increase clean electricity production and convert to green solutions for sustainable, environmental, social and economic development.” The government-to-government agreement would be based on equal partnership and its prime focus is long-term strategic collaboration in energy sector, she said.
Pakistan’s energy minister invited the Danish experts to initiate projects focused on manufacturing of solar panel and wind turbines in Pakistan to train the local workforce and promote large-scale clean energy initiatives. Omar Ayub stated that Pakistan’s new renewable energy policy offers huge opportunities for investors due to transparent policies. The efforts are aimed at expanding energy access, promoting renewable energy and increasing energy efficiency to meet the growing needs of energy, he said.
Renewable energy goals
Pakistan has set an ambitious target to increase the share of renewable energy in the power sector to 25 per cent by 2025 and 30 per cent by end of 2030 including 45 per cent share of hydropower and 10 per cent nuclear energy in the energy mix, the minister shared.
Pakistan is encouraging private sector investment in renewable energy projects. Prime Minister Imran Khan has vowed that by 2030 Pakistan would produce 60 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources. Last week, Pakistan government announced to launch 16 wind and solar power projects with a cumulative capacity of 860MW that are expected to become operational by this year.
