Evwind, Wind Energy

33 wind power projects under development in Pakistan

AEDB is pursuing and facilitating 33 wind power projects which are in different stages of development through collaboration of private sector. There are three wind power projects of 150MW capacity under construction and will be completed in 2014 while another 13 wind projects having a cumulative capacity of 680 MW are at advance stages and ready to achieve financial closing in 2014. Highlighting the steps being taken to use alternate sources for power generation, sources said 24 solar projects having acapacity of 792.99 MW are also under different stages of development and can achieve Commercial Operation Date by 2015-16 subject to availability of grid and tariff.
In addition, nine biomass/bagasse based power projects are also under development as several sugar mills have approached AEDB for development of power generation projects under Framework for Power Co-generation 2013 (Biomass/Bagasse).
The sources said currently two wind power projects with a cumulative capacity of 105.9 MW (56.4 MW and 49.5 MW) are operational and providing electricity to the grid while a 27 MW Biomass/Waste to Energy plant is operational at Al-Moiz Sugar Industries, D I Khan.
They said another 07 MW of Biogas/Waste to Energy plant is operational at Shakarganj Sugar Mills, Jhang and providing electricity to FESCO.
The sources said the government was taking all possible measures for harnessing the renewable energy potential as availability of grid infrastructure is being ensured for upcoming wind and solar power projects.
National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) is in the process of announcing Upfront Tariffs for Alternative & Renewable Energy (ARE) based projects such as solar, biomass etc.
The Framework for Power Co-Generation 2013 (Biomass/Bagasse) has also been announced in order to harness potential of electricity generation from sugar mills on using high pressure boilers.
The AEDB has requested NEPRA to announce rules and regulations for distributed generation in order to enable net-metering through solar and wind energy technologies.