Self-sufficiency in energy is
the assurance to excel any country’s economy. According to an international
analysis, the oil and gas reserves will be finished into the second half of this
current century. For that reason, to attain self-sufficiency, alternative energy
resources are being explored. There are 929 billion tons approx. coal reserves
available in the world whose 40% is used to produce the electricity. As per an
estimation, third biggest coal reserve of 185 billion ton exists in Pakistan
which is equivalent to 400 billion barrels of oil. In other words, our coal
reserves are equivalent to Saudi Arab and Iran’s combined oil reserves.
As per research, $50 per barrel price gives the value of our coal reserve as
high as $30 trillion which goes to 187 times high as compared to current GDP of
Pakistan. Current government has taken appropriate actions to produce the
electricity from Thar coal and other resources during the three to five coming
years. Recently, Sindh Government has contracted with a multi-national firm and
work has been started to produce the 1000 mega watt electricity from the coal.
These power generating projects will save huge foreign currency which is spent
on the import of oil. The second largest oil producing country Iran too is
producing electricity from coal. China, in this time is producing 75%
electricity with coal and is ready to help us produce electricity with coal. The
strong lobby of multi-national oil companies didn’t let the plans of generating
the electricity from wind and coal come into being.
In world level, the share of electric produced by the gas is 19% while in
Pakistan 45%, nuclear energy’s share in world total energy is 16% while in
Pakistan only 2%, hydro-generated electricity’s share into the world’s total
energy share is 16% but in Pakistan 3.3% and from oil in world only 7% but in
Pakistan is 16%. Poland and Germany produce the electricity more than 80% from
coal. Likewise, South Africa 93%, India 78.3%, Australia 77%, China 72%, Germany
52%, America 49%, Denmark 47.3% and UK 32.9% produce the energy from coal.
Pakistan produces only 200 mega watt from coal which is 7% of total energy
production while the energy produced by coal should be up to 25%.
An important and natural resource of alternative energy is wind. Minimum 13
kilometer per hour wind blowing is supposed to be sufficient. By luck, we have
the points for the production of wind energy which is available into the coastal
areas of Karachi, Thatta, Jiwani and Baluchistan’s coastal belt and other areas
situated into northern areas and Azad Kashmir. This time from wind Germany 18000
mega watt, USA 7000 mega watt, and Spain 8000 mega watt are producing the
energy.
Wind energy is of importance as it does not create any environmental pollution
at all. Solar energy is one of the cheapest and important way to produce the
energy. As per scientists, the energy received from the sun in one hour is more
than the whole world’s total produced energy in a year. As per analysis if only
half percent of desert land is used for solar energy it would cater the energy
demand for this entire world. Pakistan has much potential for solar energy
because Pakistan is receiving 19 mega joules per square meter in a year through
which 90% of rural area can be provided the electricity.
Like wise, geysers run by solar energy can reduce the demand of natural gas in
the northern areas. Nuclear energy is also a cheap resource to attain the
electricity. We are producing only 462 mega watt electricity from nuclear
resources which is only 2% of our energy production by alternative resources. In
the contrary, in the world 16% electricity is being produced by nuclear energy.
Our natural gas reserves are finishing rapidly so therefore, it is necessary
that electricity be produced by alternative resources and dependency over the
natural gas could be lessened. If just 50% of alternative resources available in
Pakistan is used so we can export the additional energy to neighbor states. No
doubt self-sufficiency in energy is the first key in attaining the country-wide
economical and social development.