Fozia Azam

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organisation (PEDO) has successfully converted 7,440 schools and 140 basic health units (BHUs) to solar power under the Access to Clean Energy Program. The 12MW solar power energy project was provided Rs4.347 billion funds, out of which the share of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) was Rs3.864 billion (88.5%), and Rs482.5 million (11.5%) was allocated under the Annual Development Program (ADP) to solarise a total of 8,000 schools (including 30% girls’ schools) and 187 BHUs (including 70% maternal and newborn healthcare centres) which were off-grid or having frequent power outrage. So far, 93% work on the project has been completed.

“The project was approved in 2017, and after completing formal procedural requirements, it became operational in 2019, after which the installation of solar facilities in targeted schools and BHUs started,” said Asfandyar Khan, Project Director Solarisation, Access to Clean Energy Program, while talking to WealthPK. He said the project will play a vital role in uplifting the socio-economic profile of these underdeveloped areas.

Asfandyar said the main objective of the project is to provide reliable and consistent power to schools and health facilities, especially those which are deprived of electricity or where loadshedding occurs frequently. He was of the view that with an uninterrupted supply of electricity throughout the academic year, the quality of education and learning environment will also improve. “Such initiatives are needed to be taken to make the environment cleaner and greener, and decrease dependence on fossil fuel consumption,” said Mustafa Abdullah, a renowned solar and wind energy project developer, while talking to WealthPK.

He said the use of renewable energy has been on the rise globally over the past few years, and this trend is set to continue in Pakistan. He said for a country like Pakistan, stricken by energy shortages, renewable energy is the way to go as Pakistan has huge solar resource potential. Mustafa said renewable energy projects have encountered several challenges in Pakistan, notably the need for more infrastructure, and regulatory uncertainty.“To overcome these challenges, policymakers must develop a clear understanding of the opportunities and constraints associated with renewables,” he suggested.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk