Tuesday, October 14, 2008, Shawwal 14, 1429    

Pakistan enters Wind Power generation era

Nasir Mahmood

Karachi—Pakistan is going to enter Wind Power generation era. Its vast wind power potential will soon begin to be realized when the country’s first wind-powered project begins to deliver electricity to about 6900 homes in Hyderabad Electricity Supply Company (HESCO) region later this month. Works at the Zorlu Wind Energy Farm in Jhimpir, 70 kms North East of Karachi are in the final stages of completion. The facility with 6 MW installed capacity in the first phase is planned to be switched on at a ceremony expected to be performed by Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani. The power generated from the first phase would be evacuated to the Jhampir Grid Station by HESCO.

Five turbines are being installed each with the capacity to generate 1.2 MW of electricity. The project will produce sufficient clean electricity to eliminate the production of approximately 10,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year, compared to a conventional fossil fuel power project.

The project which in subsequent phases would be expanded to a 50 MW wind farm is currently using the gearless Vensys 62 with 1.2 MW technology. NEPRA has awarded tariff of US Cents 12.1057 per kWh, which is cheaper than the electricity generated from thermal sources. “Commissioning of this first wind powered electricity generation project would be highly significant step towards achieving Pakistan’s renewables goal. We are on our way to a future that can be transformed by the use of clean forms of energy,” Arif Alauddin, Chief Executive AEDB, told journalists during a press briefing.