My Family's Contribution to Climate Action: Rooftop Solar and Electric Vehicles
In response to growing reports of extreme heat and floods around the world, my wife and I are doing our part to reduce our carbon footprint: We now have rooftop solar panels as well as two electric vehicles. In fact, we have had rooftop solar since 2019. My wife Yasmeen traded in her Toyota Prius Hybrid car for an all-electric Chevrolet Bolt in 2019, and I have recently traded in my gasoline-powered Mercedes sedan for a Tesla Model Y 2022. Both of us see these actions as the least we can do to help our future generations. We all need to help bring about the clean energy revolution.
 |
| My New Tesla Model Y 2022 |
Our rooftop solar panels have been generating enough electricity to power our home for the last three years. The SunRun solar app we have shows that our solar panels generated 8,500 kWh of electricity in the last 12 months, reducing CO2 emissions produced by 6,622 pounds of coal and 676 gallons of gasoline.
 |
| Rooftop Solar Panels on Our House |
Silicon Valley where I live is at the forefront of the nascent clean energy revolution led by Tesla. Tesla is more than an electric car company; the company also supplies solar panels and batteries. Other automakers are also taking their cues from Tesla. China's BYD Auto has only recently been surpassed by Tesla in production volumes. Auto giants General Motors and BMW are both building electric cars and planning to build "gigafactories" like Tesla's to manufacture battery packs for vehicles and homes. Pakistan is building up renewable power generation capacity. The country has also recently announced its National Electric Vehicle Policy that offers incentives to transition to clean energy.
The global transportation sector is a major polluter and in 2020 produced approximately 7.3 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Passenger cars were the biggest source of emissions that year, accounting for 41 percent of global transportation emissions. |
| CO2 Emissions by the Transport Sector. Source: Statista |
Bloomberg estimates that batteries and electric transmission account for about 40% of passenger cars’ costs. European demand is met by mainly Japanese and South Korean battery makers like Panasonic, LG Chem Ltd. and Samsung SDI Co. In the U.S., Tesla has built its own battery cells at its Gigafactory to manage costs and satisfy demand for the cars it produces. Chinese demand for battery packs is met by BYD.
My wife and I have taken it to heart to think globally and act locally. Each of us can make our own modest contribution to helping fight global climate change for the sake of our future generations. We owe it to our children and grandchildren. The time to act is NOW!
Haq's Musings
South Asia Investor Review
Pakistan's Energy Imports
Ten Billion Tree Tsunami: Olive Revolution in Pakistan
Rooftop Solar Net Metering Growth in Pakistan
Can Pakistan Avoid Recurring IMF Bailouts?
Extreme Heat and Floods in Pakistan
CPEC Financing: Is China Ripping Off Pakistan?
Pakistan Ramps Up Nuclear Power Generation
Is Pakistan Ready For Clean Energy Revolution?
China Global Power Database on Power Plants in Pakistan
CPEC Transforming Pakistan
Pakistan's $20 Billion Tourism Industry Boom
Pakistan Among Top 3 Countries For New Hydro Installed Capacity
Riaz Haq's YouTube Channel
PakAlumni Social Network
Comments
https://oilprice.com/Energy/Coal/Energy-Market-Madness-Leads-To-Record-Breaking-Coal-Consumption.html
Coal-fired electricity generation has surged to a record high.
The rise in coal use is being fueled by the ongoing war in Ukraine and booming electricity demand.
Coal-fuelled generation is on course to set an even higher record in 2022 as generators in Europe and Asia minimize the use of expensive gas.
Global coal-fired electricity generators are producing more power than ever before in response to booming electricity demand after the pandemic and the surging price of gas following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The world’s coal-fired generators produced a record 10,244 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2021 surpassing the previous record of 10,098 TWh set in 2018 (“Statistical review of world energy”, BP, July 2022).
Coal-fuelled generation is on course to set an even higher record in 2022 as generators in Europe and Asia minimise the use of expensive gas following Russia’s invasion and U.S. and EU sanctions imposed in response.
By contrast, mine output was still fractionally below the record set between 2012 and 2014 because older and less efficient coal generators have been replaced by newer and more efficient ones needing less fuel per kilowatt.
Global coal mine production was 8,173 million tonnes in 2021 compared with 8,180-8,256 million per year between 2012 and 2014.
But mine production is also likely to set a new record this year as the surging demand for coal-fuelled generation overtakes efficiency improvements.
Coal Resilience
Coal’s resurgence has confounded U.S. and EU policymakers who expected it to diminish as part of their plan for net zero emissions.
Between 2011 and 2021, generation from coal grew more slowly (1.2% per year)...
As a result, coal’s share of total generation worldwide has declined 36.0% in 2021 from a recent peak of 40.8% in 2013.
But the enormous growth in electricity demand (2.5% per year) ensured there has been growing demand for all sources of generation.
Coal production and generation is set to continue rising through at least 2027 as the rising demand for electricity overwhelms efficiency improvements in combustion and the deployment of gas and renewables as alternatives.
Turbocharged
Rapid recovery after the pandemic has turbocharged these trends, boosting electricity demand and the dependence on coal-fired generation, and lifting coal consumption to a record high
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the resulting reduction gas exports has stimulated demand even further as generators try to minimise consumption of expensive gas and countries try to indigenise their energy supplies.
In Europe, governments are encouraging coal-burning generators to remain in service for longer rather than closing in case gas flows from Russia cease in winter 2022/23.
Responding to shortages and security concerns, China and India are encouraging domestic miners to raise output to record levels to ensure adequate fuel stocks and cut their reliance on expensive imported coal and gas.
China’s coal production climbed to a record 2,192 million tonnes between January and June compared with 1,949 million in the same period a year earlier and 1,758 million before the pandemic in 2019.
India’s production climbed to a record 393 million tonnes between January and May compared with 349 million a year ago.
Fuel Shortage
Despite the rapid growth in domestic coal production in China and India, there is still a worldwide shortage of fuel, which has sent coal prices to their highest level in real terms for more than 50 years.
U.S. and EU sanctions have intensified upward pressure on prices by re-routing Russian coal to Asia and coal from Australia and Indonesia to Europe, resulting in longer and more expensive voyages.
https://oilprice.com/Energy/Coal/Energy-Market-Madness-Leads-To-Record-Breaking-Coal-Consumption.html
Coal is the bulkiest and most expensive commodity to transport relative to its value so longer voyages have a direct and significant impact on the landed price paid by power producers.
Higher gas prices in Europe are pulling coal prices up in their wake as coal-fired generators scramble to secure fuel in order to be able to run their units for as many hours as possible.
Front-month futures prices for gas delivered in Northwest Europe have climbed to €157 per megawatt-hour from €41 at the same point in 2021 while coal prices have risen to €53 from €16.
If the northern hemisphere winter of 2022/23 is colder than normal, shortages of coal, gas and electricity are likely to become severe and are likely to force some form of energy rationing or allocation. The global coal shortage is part of a wider shortage of energy evident across the markets for crude, diesel, gas and electricity.
In each case, the shortage stems from the strong cyclical rebound from the pandemic and has been intensified by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and sanctions imposed as a result.
Record prices are sending a strong signal to producers to increase output and to consumers to conserve as much fuel as possible.
Like crude and diesel, however, rebalancing the coal market will likely require a significant slowdown in the major economies to ease the immediate pressure on inventories and give production time to catch up with consumption.
Entire administration is still on ground and relief work will resume as soon as rain stops, says Karachi administrator
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2367632/non-stop-heavy-rains-public-holiday-declared-in-karachi-hyderabad-on-monday
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) predicted that Karachi may receive up to 200 millimetres of rain accompanied by stormy winds on Sunday. Citizens have been instructed not to leave their homes unnecessarily.
The downpour continues in various areas of the city, including Scheme 33, Federal B Area, North Karachi, New Karachi, Nazimabad, Muhammad Ali Society, Bahadurabad, PIB Colony, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Gulistan-e-Johar, PECHS and adjacent regions.
Due to the continuous rain in the metropolis, low-lying areas have been flooded causing citizens to face severe problems with ambulances unable to reach various locations.
Met department officials have said that the current system of rains may remain across Sindh, including Karachi, until Tuesday.
"Due to heavy rainfall which is expected to continue even tomorrow, #SindhGovt has decided to declare Monday, the 25th of July as a public holiday in Karachi & Hyderabad Divisions," Karachi Administrator Murtaza Wahab Siddiqui wrote on his official Twitter handle.
He said that a notification in this regard is being issued.
"It's been raining nonstop since early morning & severity of rainfall has increased in the last hour or so," Murtaza said in another tweet.
He also requested people to avoid unnecessary movement. "The entire administration is still on ground & relief work will start as soon as the rain stops," he added.
Sindh Minister for Information, Transport and Mass Transit Sharjeel Inam Memon also requested the private sector to keep their offices closed.
The district administration of Hyderabad is setting up 29 relief camps in the city to deal with any emergencies during the new spell of monsoon rains, which may continue till Tuesday.
According to a notification issued by the district administration, the relief camps are being established in schools and colleges and would be supervised by the relevant principals.
304 perish in rains
The monsoon rains that wreaked havoc in the country resulted in the deaths of more than 300 people, including 118 children and damaged 8,889 houses, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
A report issued by the NDMA stated that 99 deaths were reported in Balochistan, 61 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), 60 in Punjab, 70 in Sindh, eight in Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B), five in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and one death was reported in Islamabad.
Nearly 300 people were also injured in the rain-related incidents.
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2367726/pakistans-depleted-mangrove-cover-improving-rapidly
Also, mangroves require a systematic flow of fresh water, which unfortunately does not persist at the moment, he said.
Gilani noted that the South Asian country has seen a rapid augmentation in mangrove cover after the 2010 massive floods, which, although inundating a fifth of Pakistan, made up for a freshwater shortage.
Sharing a similar view, Rasheed said: "To keep the momentum going, we have to create awareness among the masses, and especially the policymakers, about the environmental significance of the mangroves and reinforce how important they are as the threat is not over yet."
Bulwark against sea battering
Thick mangroves have long protected Karachi and its coastal communities from erosion caused by the Arabian Sea's unending waves, observed Shabina Faraz, a Karachi-based expert, who often writes on the environment.
However, she added, the fragile ecosystem faces numerous threats, from coastal development, urbanization, and encroachment to the commercial exploitation of mangroves, reduction of freshwater flows and sedimentation, erosion of coastal areas, chemical dumping, and raw sewage.
"Karachi city alone contributes 500 million gallons of untreated water to the sea. Apart from that, polluted water from 6,000 industries also contributes high-impact pollutants to the Arabian sea that negatively affect the mangrove ecosystem and marine fauna," she maintained, speaking to Anadolu Agency.
Gilani, the Lahore-based expert, said that despite an increasing mangrove cover, satellite imagery has punctuated the need for national-scale carbon sequestration reporting for a performance-based payment mechanism flowing from developed countries to developing ones.
Seconding his view, Faraz said carbon sequestration reporting could add to the national economy "significantly."
Forests lose ground around Karachi
Tariq Alexander Qaiser, a Karachi-based environmentalist, said that although the mangrove cover on the wider delta was increasing, mature forests around Karachi have been pushed back.
Urban expansion into the estuaries and intertidal lands where the mangroves are found has had a negative environmental impact, he observed.
He said serious urban flooding had resulted from construction on flood plains, whereas water outflow into the sea had also been constricted, he told Anadolu Agency.
The dying of the plants' roots holding together the mud and sand on the islands and coast, Qaiser said, has allowed sands to shift and islands to erode.
This results in greater dredging needs, and increases costs of operating ports, he maintained.
"The removal of mangrove cover from the coastline also leaves the city vulnerable to sea surges and tsunamis. This has a serious impact on human life and safety."
According to Qaiser, the deltas' mangrove cover is expanding, but the situation is "very different" on the islands and shores of the cities, especially Karachi.
He explained that these "most mature and tallest of the forests" were being cut down due to poverty and the need for fuel.
The only way to retain this very necessary forest cover is to create and enforce a nature reserve on Karachi's Islands, Qaiser argued, adding that the metropolis, home to 20 million people, needed this oxygen-producing wilderness to maintain some control over its air quality.
"We need to keep planting new mangrove forests, but equally important is the need to protect the forests that exist. Especially on the islands of Karachi."
Chart: Where Carsharing Is Making Inroads | Statista
https://www.statista.com/chart/24769/share-of-respondents-using-a-carsharing-service/?fbclid=IwAR0-ZSi4zHrAN8Pd2BgQLDYDYlpRtzMRHD35ZivIaF0fVO4EdYoRB7t8AgE
Carsharing has become increasingly popular across the world in recent years, particularly in urban areas where people can rely on efficient public transport or cycling for the majority of their daily tasks and use a car on the occasions where it is necessary, without having to invest in ownership.
According to data from Statista’s Global Consumer Survey (GCS), carsharing has taken off in India, with 34 percent of survey respondents stating that they had used a carshare via either a website or an app in the past twelve months. Zoomcar was the main player in the space in 2021, according to the Statista Market Forecast, with 35 percent of respondents picking the brand. The company’s business model is a hybrid of short term loan cars like 'Zipcar' and a traditional car rental agency like Sixt, allowing users to rent a car for anywhere between a few hours to a few months. The number of carshare users in the country is expected to reach 2.0m by 2026.
South Africa and Pakistan came in second and third place, with 29 percent and 24 percent of online adults, respectively. By contrast, only 12 percent of Brits said that they had carshared. This is on par with the average of the 39 countries surveyed. Australia and the US were around the same mark as the UK’s figure, at 14 percent and 12 percent.
For further information on carsharing, electric cars, battery technology and related topics, check out Statista’s 2022 report "eMobility - Market Insights & Data Analysis".
http://en.ce.cn/Insight/202206/11/t20220611_37745824.shtml
Presenting the budgetary proposals for the next fiscal year in the National Assembly on Friday, Pakistani Finance Minister Miftah Ismail said that the energy sector has pivotal importance for the people as well as the industries and trade in the country, adding that at the moment fuel prices were skyrocketing, which made thermal energy expensive. “For these sectors and the people we gave an additional subsidy of 214 billion rupees,” the minister noted.
The Finance Minister proposed tax exemption on import and local supply of solar panels. He said soft loans from banks will be arranged for the people who consume less than 200 units of electricity to purchase solar panels.
The previous government of Prime Minister Imran Khan had imposed a 17 percent general sales tax. The imposition of taxes on solar panels has received criticism from different quarters.
Earlier in May, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced the reversal of the decision to tax the solar panels, which will be implemented in FY23.
Chinese companies manufacturing solar panels will have to play a crucial role in the generation of Alternative Renewable Energy (ARE) in Pakistan. At the moment, according to a market survey, more than 90 percent of solar panels and other related equipment are being imported from China. Chinese companies are executing and running solar power projects in Pakistan including 300 MW solar power projects which is operational under the umbrella of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)
In a recent interview with Gwadar Pro, former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said, “solar is very critical to Pakistan’s need today” and added, “I am expecting that China, which has the most experience in the world in solar, will come to Pakistan and help the country get more sustainable energy”. He also welcomed more Chinese companies to come to Pakistan and establish solar panel manufacturing plants in the country.
Pakistan targets an on-grid Alternative Renewable Energy (ARE) generation mix of 20 percent by 2025 and 30 percent by 2030, adding the policy targets the development of ARE projects mainly on competitive bedding, unsolicited mode limited to G2G and new technologies.
Pakistan has a population of over 225 million. Approximately 88 percent of the population has access to electricity while 12 percent remains un-electrified. The annual per capita electricity consumption in Pakistan is around 550 kWh as compared with the world average of 3,081 kWh per capita.
National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) approved Indicative Generation Capacity Expansion Plan (IGCEP) 2021 with demand supply projects till 2030. Under IGCEP, the current installed capacity of 34,776 MW will become 61,112 MW by the end of 2030. Apart from the committed pipeline projects, the IGCEP requires an addition of 10,062 MW of ARE capacity by 2030.
Monsoon downpours deluged portions of Pakistan this weekend and Karachi, the country's largest city, bore the brunt of the worst impacts as the floodwaters destroyed homes, inundated businesses and damaged infrastructure.
AccuWeather forecasters say the heaviest rainfall from the event arrived Sunday when Karachi received more than triple its monthly rainfall in just 24 hours.
Daily life was turned to a standstill as this deluge turned major throughways into raging rivers and left entire neighborhoods submerged. Images from the city showed residents navigating floodwaters that ranged from knee-high to chest-high in spots. Vehicles were left stranded as floodwaters climbed.
The catastrophic flooding event left all major highways in Karachi flooded, according to The Express Tribune. Due to the impossibility of safe travel for large portions of the city, the local government declared Monday a public holiday in Karachi, which closed all government offices and urged private offices to follow suit.
Karachi, Pakistan's financial and industrial hub, is located along the coast of the Arabian Sea. Some of the most densely populated areas of the city are located at, or scarcely, above sea level. The low-lying nature of the city already makes Karachi prone to flooding issues, but inadequately-constructed drainage and flood management systems compound the issue considerably.
Rainwater even mixed with sewage in some locations and this contaminated water rushed into homes and businesses.
Murtaza Wahab, the Karachi administrator, told The New York Times that the city has an old drainage and sewage infrastructure that could not cope with the torrential rains and acknowledged that updates were critical.
Floodwaters in recent days have damaged more than 5,500 homes as well as critical infrastructure like highways and bridges, according to a report from Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority.
This weekend's flooding was the second destructive flooding event the city has had to endure this month alone. Earlier in July, another deluge of monsoon rainfall left Karachi underwater.
Since the middle of June, monsoon rainfall and subsequent flooding have resulted in more than 280 deaths throughout Pakistan, according to The Associated Press (AP).
The amount of rainfall the city has already received this month is astounding, forecasters say.
"Karachi received 2.36 inches (60 mm) of rain on Sunday due to a weak monsoon low that formed near southwestern Rajasthan, India, over the weekend," AccuWeather Lead International Forecaster Jason Nicholls explained.
So far this July, the city has recorded just over 8 inches (200 mm) of rainfall which equates to 1,147 percent of normal for the month, according to Nicholls. Karachi typically receives less than an inch (25 mm) of rain in July and just over 1.50 inches (38 mm) of rain over the course of the summer months.
Furthermore, even in the highly unlikely event that not a single drop of rain falls in Karachi for the rest of the year, the city would still end 2022 with over 260 percent of its normal precipitation.
The monsoon normally arrives in Pakistan around July 8, but this year it arrived several days early, according to Nicholls.
"Part of the reason for the excessively wet July is that the monsoon [axis] has been located south of its normal position for much of the month," Nicholls explained.
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/pakistan-raises-power-prices-amid-energy-crisis-despite-rampant-inflation-2022-07-26/
Inflation last month reached 21.3%, driven mainly by rising food costs, and the country also faces fast-depleting foreign reserves, a depreciating currency and widening current account deficit.
"Cabinet has approved an increase in electricity tariffs but lifeline (poor) consumers will not be affected,” Power Minister Khurram Dastagir Khan told reporters in Islamabad, adding that the increase would not apply to them.
Pakistan's monthly fuel oil imports are set to hit a four-year high in June, Refinitiv data shows, as the country struggles to buy liquefied natural gas for power generation amid a heatwave that is driving demand.
Higher energy imports have hit the economy as the country struggles to boost foreign exchange. The rupee has lost 20% of its value in 2022. Reserves have fallen to as low as $9.3 billion, hardly enough to pay for 45 days of imports.
Pakistan this month reached a staff-level agreement with the IMF for $1.17 billion in critical funding under a resumed bailout package.
The country is also pushing to tap other avenues for power. The minister said that nuclear power production had risen after the refuelling of one plant.
From the beginning of July, the K2 plant has been operating at full capacity
China's BYD became the world's No. 2 seller of electric vehicles globally for the first six months of 2022 on the strength of lower-priced models, trailing only Tesla, while the Hyundai Motor group rose to fifth, in a Nikkei ranking.
BYD, which was fourth in 2021, sold 324,000 EVs in the January-June half to pass Chinese rival SAIC Motor and Volkswagen. The Berkshire Hathaway-backed company ended production of gasoline-powered vehicles in March to focus on electrics and plug-in hybrids.
BYD also sold more than 300,000 plug-in hybrids in the first half of 2022. When these are considered along with the EVs, the company ranked as the world's top seller of electrified autos.
BYD's broad EV lineup, including the Yuan Plus sport utility vehicle and the Dolphin subcompact, centers on the 100,000 to 200,000 yuan ($15,000 to $30,000) range. The relatively low prices have helped to attract younger car buyers. Plans to sell passenger vehicles in Japan were announced last week, with an SUV among the offerings from 2023.
For the ranking, Nikkei used data from market research firm MarkLines and automakers, covering roughly 3 million EVs sold in 66 major markets.
Tesla, the market leader in 2021, remained on top in the first half of 2022, with sales of 564,000 vehicles. But it hit a few speed bumps this year.
COVID-19 lockdowns in China slowed production at the EV maker's Shanghai plant, limiting sales growth for the first half to 46% from a year earlier -- compared with around 90% growth in 2021. Telsa's EV sales grew by about half on the year in the first half, while BYD's count more than tripled.
With new factories in Berlin and the U.S. state of Texas, Tesla seeks to boost sales of its popular Model Y compact SUV.
The Hyundai group's EV sales doubled to 169,000 vehicles. The Ioniq 5 SUV that debuted in 2021 features an EV-specific platform, helping to extend its range. The vehicle can run 100 km on a five-minute charge. Sharing components with affiliate Kia's EV6 has reduced costs.
Hyundai's sales growth is driven by a shift in its mainstay U.S. market, where sharply higher gasoline prices have accelerated the move to EVs. The Hyundai group sold 13,000 each of the Ioniq 5 and the EV6 in the U.S. in the first half of the year.
For the April-June quarter, EV sales in the U.S. grew 70% to 204,000 vehicles, according to MarkLines, to account for 6% of overall sales there.
SAIC slipped to third, with 310,000 vehicles sold in the first half, facing a slowdown in sales of the Hongguang Mini EV made by joint venture SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile. Priced under $4,500 at 2021 exchange rates, the car was a hit in China's regional cities. But the higher cost of materials forced a price hike, dampening sales.
Meanwhile, Japanese carmakers have fallen behind. Some had expected that the spike in gasoline prices would push car buyers toward hybrids, but EV sales have grown faster.
The alliance of Nissan Motor, Renault and Mitsubishi Motors dropped to sixth, with 133,000 vehicles sold. Toyota Motor and Honda Motor sold 10,000 EVs each, ranking outside the top 20.
The top 20 EV sellers included 12 Chinese carmakers. New York-listed XPeng's sales grew 120% while Hozon New Energy Automobile sold three times as many units as in the same period the previous year. Leapmotor, a Hangzhou-based startup founded in 2015, sold 50,000 vehicles to break into the top 20 at 17th place.
On the EV sales outlook for the second half, S&P Global Mobility's Masatoshi Nishimoto says that "sales are likely to grow with China and Europe continuing their subsidies."
The project was conceived under the CPEC and approved in 2016
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/976586-solar-plant-to-replace-300mw-gwadar-coal-power-project
The Power Division has decided to abandon the 300MW imported coal-based power plant at Gwadar and replace it with a solar plant.
The project was conceived under the CPEC and approved in 2016, but its formal construction had not started. Now the government wants China to install a solar power plant of the same capacity after the government decided not to install any new power plant based on imported fuel in the future.
“We have decided to abandon the project, but we will have to take up the issue at various CPEC forums with our Chinese counterparts. CPEC projects have sensitivity and importance which is why the Power Division’s decision to replace the imported coal-based project at Gwadar with a solar plant is being kept at a low profile,” an official said.
Federal Minister for Power Division Khurram Dastgir Khan also hinted the government wanted the Chinese power plant at Gwadar to be replaced with a solar power plant of 300MW. Talking to The News, he also added that the government had decided to ban new power plants based on imported fuel and would add new capacity to electricity generation based on local fuel, such as Thar coal, wind, solar, and hydel. “However, the government will continue the policy to install more nuclear power plants,” he added.
More importantly, the minister said, the government has also decided to convert the existing imported coal-based power plants of 3,960MW, including the Port Qasim plant, Sahiwal power plant and China Hub plant, each having the capacity to generate 1,320MW of electricity, to local coal. The fuel import bill had eaten up almost $20 billion in the first 11 months of the last fiscal 2021-22. The initiative is being taken to scale down the fuel import bill and reduce reliance on imported fuel for power generation. The minister said the process to convert the three projects to local coal would take investment and time as boilers of the plants would need some specific changes for calibration with Thar coal.
The Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) for the CPEC had decided in its 6th meeting held in Beijing in December 2016 that a 300MW imported coal-fired power project must be developed on a fast-track basis at Gwadar. The tariff of the project was determined in September 2019, land for the project was acquired in February 2020 and the project management was signed on April 8, 2021. The Nepra also issued a generation licence to the project management. However, the financial close of the project has not yet been completed as it is still under process. The project is still on the list of under-construction CPEC projects. However, its construction has not started yet. That is why top officials of the Power Division have decided to abandon the project and replace it with a solar power plant under its new policy not to install a new power plant base on imported coal in future.
Pakistan is currently importing 30 to 70MW of electricity from Iran under an agreement of 110MW. Sometimes, Pakistan has some fluctuation in electricity import because of demand in Iran. Pakistan had inked a new agreement of importing 100MW electricity for which a transmission line would be laid from Polan (Iran) to Gwadar by the end of 2022, or the start of 2023. The government has also increased its emphasis on laying its own infrastructure in Balochistan and the NTDC will lay a high transmission line of 500kv from Makran coast to Gwadar.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/12/opinion/environment/climate-bill-house-inflation-reduction.html
The bill’s High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Program offers up to $8,000 to install heat pumps that both cool and heat homes, replacing air-conditioners and, typically, gas furnaces. If the current water heater runs on gas, the program supports going all in with a heat pump (a $1,750 rebate).
Fully electrifying one’s home also often means improving electric wiring (another $2,500 rebate), and the full benefits of home electrification only come with sealing gaps and insulating ($1,600). Switch from a gas range to an induction stove and get up to $840 back. Add solar panels on the roof (a 30 percent tax credit), batteries as backup (30 percent) and an electric vehicle in the garage (up to $7,500 per new car and $4,000 per used car), and home electrification is complete.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1737553/minister-announces-provision-of-solar-energy-to-200000-housing-units
The decision was taken at a meeting between Energy Minister Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh and a delegation of the World Bank headed by its director Najy Benhassine at the energy department.
Mr Shaikh told Dawn that the panels would be installed in all districts of the province under the Sindh Solar Project.
“Over 200,000 houses/units will be solarised in both rural and urban areas of all districts as part of the provincial government’s major initiative to end the energy crisis,” he said.
The minister said that it was also decided that a subsidy of $160 per house/unit in rural areas and $110 in urban areas would be given.
“Initially. solar panels are being installed in 10 districts and the process will be extended to all other districts of Sindh,” he said.
The minister said the World Band delegation expressed its satisfaction over the pace of ongoing projects in the province’s energy sector.
He said the importance of generating green environment-friendly energy was increasing rapidly in view of climate-change impacts.
There were many opportunities for blue economy in this sector, he said. “The speed of wind in the sea is many times better than on land, so wind turbines can be installed on the sea and beaches to generate cheaper electricity,” he said.
Imtiaz Shaikh said that an economic zone could be established in coastal area, which would be an important milestone in the development of the coastal area. “The energy department will cooperate in developing offshore wind projects near coastal areas,” he said, and added that floating solar energy units would be created for economic development of the country.
He said that the energy department wanted to work with the Pakistan Institute of Oceanography to develop floating solar projects in coastal areas.
“Floating solar systems and offshore wind projects can expand blue economy opportunities through affordable energy,” he added.
The minister said that land for water-based green energy projects was several times cheaper and unlike most land-based solar plants there, floating arrays could be stationary.
To a question, he said that the provincial government had also decided to restructure the proposed Sindh Petroleum Company which would work for gas exploration.
He said that the SPC would give licences for gas and petrol exploration in the province, adding that a draft of recommendations regarding activation of the SPC and its rules and regulations had been prepared.
He said that the SPC along with the search for new gas reserves would also monitor the distribution of existing gas reserves.
Imtiaz Shaikh demanded a new natural resources agreement between the federation and the provinces and said that the new gas distribution agreement would help curb the sense of deprivation found in the provinces.
https://www.pv-magazine.com/2023/02/15/pakistani-regulator-backtracks-on-amendments-to-net-metering-tariff/
Amid fierce public opposition, Pakistan’s National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has decided not to proceed with proposed amendments to its 2015 net-metering regulations. Nepra originally planned to reduce the tariff paid to net-metered households from PKR 19.32 ($0.072)/kWh to PKR 9/kWh.
Nepra says it will not move ahead with its draft amendments to Pakistan’s 2015 regulations for distributed generation and net metering.
In September 2022, the regulator proposed replacing the current national average power purchase price of PKR 19.32/kWh with the national average energy purchase price of PKR 9/kWh for net-metered households that inject excess electricity into the grid. The measure would have affected 20,700 households.
After public consultation, the public and consumers “strongly opposed the proposed amendments, citing reasons that electricity through net metering is one of the most efficient methods and the proposed amendment in the regulations would discourage net metering/solar installation,” Nepra said in an official statement about its decision to reverse the proposed amendments.
In the same statement, Nepra argued that electricity generated through rooftop solar should be mainly for self-consumption and “not for commercial sale.” However, it conceded that electricity from net-metered households represents less than 1% of the national distributor’s electricity purchases.
“The economic benefits of net metering in terms of displacement of costlier electricity, savings of foreign exchange and incurring minimal losses, cannot be ignored,” it added.
In September, Afia Malik, a senior research economist for the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE), told pv magazine that she expects just 23 MW of excess electricity to be exported into the grid by the affected net-metered households.
https://www.euronews.com/green/2023/06/13/spain-germany-poland-which-european-countries-added-the-most-solar-power-in-2022
Where are the major solar countries?
More countries than ever are real “solar contenders”, the report shows.
In 2022, the number of major solar countries - defined as those installing at least 1 GW annually - grew from 12 to 26. By 2025, the report predicts that more than 50 countries will be installing more than 1 GW of solar per year.
European countries make up 12 of the solar heavyweights, led by Spain, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands and Italy.
Poland’s solar development has flown past expectations. It’s mostly due to a surge in small rooftop ‘prosumer’ systems that enable homeowners to be rewarded for producing as well as consuming energy.
Ranked by the amount of extra solar they installed last year, here is the full list of the 26 major solar powers:
1. China
2. US
3. India
4. Brazil
5. Spain
6. Germany
7. Japan
8. Poland
9. The Netherlands
10. Australia
11. South Korea
12. Italy
13. France
14. Taiwan
15. Chile
16. Denmark
17. Turkiye
18. Greece
19. South Africa
20. Austria
21. UK
22. Mexico
23. Hungary
24. Pakistan
25. Israel
26. Switzerland
https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2023/02/25/community-solar-subscriptions-can-reduce-electricity-costs-for-consumers/
Rooftop solar installations have been a success story in Pakistan for the past few years, with more than 20,000 net metering licenses issued by the end of 2021-22, adding 450MW to the system. The 10x reduction in solar panel prices during the last decade, steep escalation in electricity tariffs, and net metering have made solar installation one of the best investments, with a payback of fewer than four years, while providing an excellent hedge against inflation and tariff escalation. Advanced LFP (Lithium Ferrous Phosphate) batteries, with 15 plus years life, are also becoming financially feasible for peak hours use with imminent peak rate hike.
Despite the success of rooftop solar, there is still much room for growth. There are 610,000 households in Pakistan using 700 plus units and 16.8 million households consuming 300-700 units on average per month. The country can easily achieve at least 10,000MW of rooftop solar installations on just 5 percent of these houses during the next five years by continuing with the current net metering and export rate incentives.
For households using 500–700 units per month, rooftop installations can be accelerated by providing incentives such as reinstating low-cost loans, removing current limitations on net metering, and eliminating 17pc general sales tax on solar equipment for 10KW or smaller installations. However, rooftop solar is not a practical option for lower-income households (300–500 units per month consumption) because of higher cost per kilowatt for a smaller system, financial constraints, roof space availability, rental housing, and apartment living.
This is where community solar comes in as a practical and lower cost solution for these households and industrial facilities. In the community solar subscription model, consumers either purchase or rent a small portion of a large solar farm operated by the utility or a private developer. For example, for a 100 MW solar farm located near an industrial zone, multiple industrial facilities can purchase 20pc of this farm’s capacity (20MW), providing equity investment, while the remaining 80pc (80MW) can be subscribed (rented) by 80,000 low usage household (300-500 units) customers with a limit of 1KW for each.
Because of economies of scale, the per kilowatt cost of these solar farms is 15-20pc lower than a rooftop system, thus reducing the purchase or rental cost. Also, since the industry will be providing equity investment, there won’t be a need to find large investors for these solar farms.
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2420254/can-pakistan-capitalise-on-solar-as-it-becomes-popular
In recent years, Pakistan has witnessed substantial investments in solar power projects, both domestic and foreign. It has introduced a financing scheme for renewable energy to make financing available for consumers in the private sector to invest in renewable electricity generation. Until February 2022, SBP had provided Rs74 billion (about $400 million) in financing to over 1,175 projects with a combined capacity of 1,375 MW in renewable energy.
The World Bank also reports that Pakistan has a potential of 40 GW of solar power and has set a target of achieving 20% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2025.
Pakistan has been heavily reliant on fossil fuels, particularly oil and gas, for power generation. However, the power production mix has undergone some changes in recent years.
According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), as of 2020, fossil fuels accounted for approximately 63% of the total power generation, followed by hydropower at 29%, nuclear energy at 5%, and renewable energy at around 3%.
Despite its vast potential for solar energy, Pakistan has only scratched the surface of its capabilities. The country is blessed with abundant sunshine, making it an ideal location for solar power generation. Pakistan’s government, recognising the importance of renewable energy, has introduced favourable policies and incentives to promote solar energy development. The Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) offers net metering and feed-in tariffs to encourage residential and commercial solar installations.
The increasing attractiveness of solar energy is expected to drive significant capital investment in Pakistan. Foreign direct investment (FDI) in the renewable energy sector has already been on the rise. Solar projects, including large-scale solar farms and distributed solar installations, offer lucrative investment opportunities. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has also played a crucial role in fostering solar energy cooperation between the two countries.
Several challenges need to be addressed to fully harness Pakistan’s solar energy potential. These challenges include the high initial costs of solar installations, limited access to financing, lack of awareness about solar energy benefits, and inadequate grid infrastructure.
To overcome these obstacles, the current government is working on a new 25-year energy policy that seeks to have 20-30% of all energy derived from renewable energy sources by 2030. The policy also aims to reduce dependence on imported fuel products and increase the share of indigenous resources.
The current government has approved the Alternative and Renewable Energy Policy 2019, which provides incentives and facilitation for renewable energy projects. The previous government also faced challenges in implementing the National Electricity Policy 2021, which was approved by the Council of Common Interests in February 2021.
The policy aimed to ensure affordable, reliable and sustainable electricity supply for all consumers, but faced resistance from some provinces and stakeholders over issues such as tariff determination, power sector governance and distribution reforms. The shift towards solar energy as an attractive investment option signifies a significant turning point in Pakistan’s power production landscape. The country has ample solar resources that can be harnessed to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels, enhance energy security, and contribute to environmental sustainability.
With supportive government policies, increased foreign investment, and technological advancements, solar energy has the potential to revolutionise Pakistan’s power generation sector.
https://www.pv-tech.org/oracle-power-powerchina-to-build-1gw-solar-pv-plant-in-pakistan/
Located in Oracle’s Thar Block VI land – where it is currently developing a coal minefield – the project will be built in the southeast province of Sindh.
The agreement includes a feasibility study both companies will conduct, however, Oracle has not disclosed any date for the commercial operation of the solar project.
Power generated from the plant will either be integrated into the national grid or sold through power purchase agreements.
Oracle Power has been active in Pakistan lately where it signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Chinese state-owned China Electric Power and Technology for the potential development, financing, construction, operation and maintenance of a green hydrogen project in the Sindh Province.
Along with the construction of a green hydrogen facility, the MoU also includes the development of a hybrid project with 700MW of solar PV, 500MW of wind power and an undisclosed capacity for battery storage.
The 1GW solar PV project with PowerChina will be located 250 kilometres away from the proposed green hydrogen project Oracle aims to build in Pakistan.
Naheed Memon, CEO of Oracle, said: “The proposed development of the Thar Solar Project provides Oracle with the opportunity to not only develop a sizeable renewable energy project in Pakistan, but also to bring a long-term and sustainable business to our Thar Block VI asset.”
These solar plants will generate 10,000 megawatts of electricity under the initiative, saving Pakistan's billions of dollars.
https://www.globalvillagespace.com/10000mw-solar-power-plants-to-be-installed-before-summers-2023/
The prime minister directed that work on the project begin immediately in order to bring respite to the masses before the next summer season begins.
These solar plants will generate 10,000 megawatts of electricity under the initiative, saving Pakistan’s billions of dollars.
In the initial phase, the electricity generated will be distributed to government buildings, tube-wells, and families that utilize less units of electricity.
He has also directed that a conference be held next week to solicit bids for the project.
The prime minister, who presided over a conference in Islamabad to bring huge relief to the people, stated that solar energy should be used instead of imported oil. The decision was taken with an aim to save the foreign exchange rate as the country would not need to spend billions of dollars on importing fuel for electricity generation.
He urged that the project be implemented as soon as possible by the relevant authorities.
The situation of loss in income and rising electricity bills makes a huge economic and financial burden on households. Skyrocketing electricity bills have blown the minds of consumers.
Consumers strongly condemned skyrocketed electricity bills in the month of August, even during long hours of unscheduled load shedding followed by blackouts by Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) and demanded that the federal government take up this burning issue immediately.
The Rawalpindi bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) Tuesday suspended the collection of fuel price adjustment in electricity bills.
Justice Jawad Ul Hassan, while hearing the writ petition filed against the increase of taxes, directed WAPDA and NEPRA not to charge tax on consumers’ electricity bills. The judge also summoned the head of IESCO on September 15 and issued notices to the parties concerned to appear before the Court on the next hearing.
https://www.globalvillagespace.com/wapda-al-maktoums-private-office-join-hands-for-solar-power-development-in-pakistan/
Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) and the Private Office of Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum have signed two strategic memorandum of understanding (MoUs) for the development of a floating solar power project of up to 1000MW on existing water reservoirs and the rehabilitation, upgradation, and capacity enhancement of four hydro power projects in Pakistan.
Chairman Lt. Gen. Sajjad Ghani (Retd) of WAPDA and Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum expressed their mutual interest and enthusiasm to collaborate on future, long-term projects in Pakistan’s energy sector, with a specific focus on developing renewable energy solutions.
The MoUs aim to create a cooperative framework between the Private Office and WAPDA, facilitating collaboration and exploration of investment opportunities in Pakistan’s energy sector, particularly focusing on WAPDA’s small hydro power projects.
Read more: CPEC’s first hydropower plant in Pakistan begins full operations
Both parties have agreed to collaborate on upgrading and rehabilitating hydro power projects in Renala, Rasul, Chichokimalian, and Nandipur.
The parties have mutually agreed to collaborate in assessing the technical and economic feasibility of these projects, as well as formulating an implementation plan.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-08-09/pakistan-sees-solar-boom-as-chinese-imports-surge-bnef-says/
(Bloomberg) -- Pakistan’s market for solar power is booming, propelled by a surge in imports from China, according to BloombergNEF.The country imported some 13 gigawatts of solar modules in the first six months of the year, making it the third-largest destination for Chinese exporters, according to a report by BNEF analyst Jenny Chase. Pakistan’s installed capacity to generate power is just 50 gigawatts. China is the world’s biggest producer of solar equipment.Solar is gaining traction in the South Asian nation following hikes in power prices over the past few years, with the latest increase in July triggering widespread protests. Higher rates have seen grid electricity consumption drop to the lowest in four years as many people switch to independent solar. “Pakistan’s market has the potential to continue to be very large,” said Chase. “If solar is solving the market’s power problems, there is no reason to expect a crash any time soon.”BNEF expects that the country will add between 10 gigawatts and 15 gigawatts of solar this year, mostly on homes and factories, making Pakistan the sixth-largest market in the world. Given the surge in imports, that figure could end up being far higher — or growth could stall if the grid situation improves, prices fall, or the market of middle-class people who can afford solar panels on their roofs saturates, according to the report.
There are other complications in accurately assessing the market and its prospects, said Chase. Those include wide discrepancies between official data on installations and imports, as well as claims last year that solar imports were used in money laundering schemes.
Key to the strong export flow was a steep cut in module prices, which averaged 13.7 cents per megawatt over the first half of 2024, compared to an average of 18 cents/MW for the whole of 2023.
https://mettisglobal.news/pakistan-emerges-as-largest-asian-buyer-in-chinas-record-solar-exports/
The Netherlands remained the top country market for China's modules, taking in 23,421 MW of capacity during the opening half of the year.
Brazil was China's second largest market during the first half of the year, snapping up 10,511 MW of capacity.
Pakistan was the world's third and Asia's largest single market, accounting for 10,450 MW.
Meanwhile, India snapped up 8,324 MW.
------
Key Markets
Europe was the top destination for China's solar modules, accounting for 43% of the total, or 52,158 MW.
That total was down 20% from the same period in 2023, as high interest rates, economic growth concerns and trade tensions with China stifled solar installation demand across the continent.
Nonetheless, Europe's purchase total was the second highest tally for a half-year period behind the first half of 2023.
The Netherlands remained the top country market for China's modules, taking in 23,421 MW of capacity during the opening half of the year.
While that total was 25% less than during the opening half of 2023, The Netherlands' purchases were still more than twice the size of any other nation during the first half of the year.
Spain, Germany and Italy were also notable buyers in Europe, but all also showed steep year-on year contractions in purchase volumes, Ember data shows.
Brazil was China's second largest market during the first half of the year, snapping up 10,511 MW of capacity.
That total was up 10% from the same period in 2023, and contrasts with a slight contraction in imports by the Latin American region as a whole during the first half of the year.
Growth Areas
Asia was the second largest regional destination for China's solar parts, accounting for a record 32,109 MW of capacity, or around 27% of the total.
That total was 86% more than during the first half of 2023, and was driven mainly by strong growth in South Asia. Meanwhile, India snapped up 8,324 MW.
Both markets recorded more than 200% jumps in solar imports from the same period in 2023, and represent key growth markets for China in the future.
The Middle East was another key destination for China so far this year, with exports to the region topping 13,000 MW for the first half of the year to account for a record 11% share of China's total solar panel and parts exports.
That compares to 6,228 MW during the first half of 2023, and was driven in large part by strong purchases by Saudi Arabia (7,649 MW), United Arab Emirates (1,892 MW) and Oman (1,396 MW).
Elsewhere, North America remained a tiny market for Chinese panels and parts due to the ongoing trade spat between China and the United States, while Africa's purchases shrank by around 9% from the first half of 2023, and accounted for only 4.3% of China's total sales