Daily Times

A Chinese delegation from Huzhou visited Pakistan China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCJCCI) to discuss the scope of investment in low-cost energy projects here at PCJCCI Secretariat on Tuesday. The delegation was headed by Gan Meilin, Chairman, Xiandeng, Hi-Tech Electric Co.

On this occasion, PCJCCI President Moazzam Ghurki said, “We are fully confident that the future of China-Pakistan relationship is broad and bright.” He said that low-priced energy was produced in China through incineration of waste materials. This model could prove to be a solution to energy crisis and environment pollution in Pakistan. He also said that many Chinese companies were willing to invest in Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) incineration for power generation.

Gan Meilin, Chairman, Xiandeng, Hi-Tech Electric Co said that in Pakistan about 3,000 MW electricity could be generated using agricultural residue and municipal solid waste. He said that Pakistan generated about 15 million tonnes of crops residue annually, which could be used as feedstock to generate 120 MW of electricity. He added Pakistan had a huge potential for renewable energy resources such as wind, solar and biomass, which would also save foreign reserves to be consumed on the high-cost energy. The delegation was of the view that construction style in Pakistan was conventional and inefficient. By contrast, Chinese employ highly energy-efficient construction technology and style that could save construction and energy cost in Pakistan by up to 10 times. He added that among the 530MW cumulative generation capacity in Pakistan, 400 MW (75 percent) was generated from Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park, the first-ever power plant capable of generating solar energy in Pakistan, owned by the Punjab government and built by one of the renowned Chinese company.

Hamza Khalid, Vice President PCJCCI, said in order to nurture the industry and economic uplift; there was a dire need to inculcate modern trends of energy projects and construction among the common masses. With the involvement of general public, he added, the trends and standards of modern construction would start to reflect in other segments of society. He also said that shortfall of fuel and electricity in Pakistan was an indication for them to decrease dependence on conventional fuel resources and find the new sustainable resources such as renewable energy means. The joint chamber’s Secretary General Salahuddin Hanif said that Pakistan could adopt a safe and balanced approach to exploit its vast coal reserves too for power generation with least damage to the environment to overcome energy shortfall without burdening the economy.