Daily Times

KHYBER AGENCY: With the support of US Agency for International Development (USAID), Pakistan US Center for Advanced Studies in Energy (USPCAS-E) Friday organised the second conference on ‘Green Energy Technologies’ at the University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Peshawar.

The conference was aimed at providing a platform to energy experts and scientists to discuss innovation in solar, wind, geothermal and hydro energy technologies, and analyze the current state of power engineering, energy policy, and thermal energy systems engineering in Pakistan.

Beside Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Minister of Finance Muzaffar Said as the chief guest, a large number of teachers, students, experts and member of civil society were among the participants.

Speaking on the occasion the chief guest appreciated USAID’s support for establishing USPCAS-E.

“We have high hopes that the centre will not only contribute to solving Pakistan’s energy challenges but also provide us a cohort of highly educated scientists and energy experts,” he said.

Earlier, Pro Vice-Chancellor for UET Peshawar Professor Dr Noor Muhammad reaffirmed his commitment to make UET Peshawar an entrepreneurial university, which will catalyse a knowledge-based economy.

“It is an honor to have partnered with the USAID to develop a center for advanced studies in energy,” he said, and acknowledged the support of the provincial government, particularly the KP chief minister, who had declared the center a state-of-the-art energy think-tank to build a bridge between government, industry, and academia.

The USAID-supported USPCAS-E is a joint initiative between the National University of Sciences, Technology (NUST), UET Peshawar, and Arizona State University to develop real world solutions to Pakistan’s energy challenges and to educate a new generation of skilled engineers.

The partnership is strengthening academic programmes in energy, establishing channels to facilitate local and international networking, widening access to energy-related professions for women and economically disadvantaged students, and establishing a regular policy dialogue between Pakistan’s public and private energy stakeholders.

Published in Daily Times, April 14^th 2018.