Fozia Azam

To ensure optimum use of clean and green energy in the agriculture sector, the government’s decision to convert electric-powered tube wells to solar energy is expected to cost Rs1.331 trillion, with a completion target till 2027. The project aims to reduce the burden of subsidy on the exchequer, besides reducing the demand of power supply and cutting down input cost on agriculture. The conversion of tube wells to solar energy will reduce per acre expenditure of farmers, and as a result it will decrease dependence on diesel and imported fuel, saving precious foreign exchange as well.

According to data available with WealthPK, electric-powered tube wells cost per year is $0.87 billion, and the government provides an Rs132 billion subsidy per year for it. Diesel required for tube wells per year is 3.23 billion liters which costs $2.74 billion. The number of diesel-powered tube wells in Pakistan is around 1.2 million, 79% of the total, whereas electric-powered tube wells are 0.31 million, 21% of the total. It is also feared that uninterrupted and cheap power supply for tube wells can further accelerate the abstraction of groundwater.

Experts believe that the solarisation of tube wells is an affordable and reliable source of irrigation water compared to electric or diesel-operated tube wells due to frequent power load-shedding and soaring energy prices. However, it can expedite the exhaustion of fresh groundwater basins and redistribute salts and other nutrients with severe consequences for livelihood, food and human security.

Pakistan’s economic growth is restrained by bottlenecks in the energy sector, and ironically the situation has worsened with each passing year. The execution of present government’s initiatives, like 10,000 megawatts solar energy project, will not only help reduce the import bill of costly diesel and furnace oil, but it will also help in saving the environment by replacing conventional power with solar power.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk