AT a recent alternative energy exhibit in Islamabad, I noticed a glaring absence of micro-hydropower technology. Even during the conference, when someone inquired about it, it became evident that the Pakistani government does not support this renewable energy option. This is regrettable because Pakistan has ample potential for micro-hydropower, particularly in remote areas lacking access to fossil fuels or extensive electric grids. This technology utilizes steep landscapes with flowing water, making it ideal for decentralized energy production in challenging terrains.
Different environments offer their own opportunities for energy production. For example, the deserts of Balochistan and Sindh are ideal places for solar and wind power. Or, not relevant to Pakistan, a community isolated due to being located in a tropical rainforest could have plenty of options for producing bio-fuels from local resources. Of course, all of this requires lots of innovation put into the hands of people who are otherwise not well-integrated into the wider economy.
Pakistan’s northern mountain ranges present a challenging yet promising environment for energy production. These regions boast some of the country’s densest forests, offering biomass potential for sustainable energy use. Wind channels through mountain passes provide high-speed flows ideal for wind turbines, while the swift movement of water downhill holds vast energy potential for micro-hydropower. Although large dams are prevalent in major valleys, the abundance of streams and rivers across the mountains allows for decentralized hydropower solutions. Technologies like waterwheels, Francis or Kaplan turbines and low-head dams can effectively harness this renewable energy, benefiting both local communities and Pakistan’s broader energy strategy.
There are endless possibilities for extracting energy from the environment to service our needs. Even if we think we do not have the knowhow or means to make abundant alternative energy production, we shouldn’t desist from working towards it, and change can start small. In the early days of the Industrial Revolution, flowing water was the main power source for Britain’s fledgling industries. They quickly switched to coal because it gave quicker profits, due to being highly energy-dense and able to be transported. Also, Britain was short on rivers, unlike Pakistan, which is a land of rivers. Imagine all the knowledge and skills that could have accumulated and the infrastructure that could have been in service by now if the industrialized world stuck with renewable energy the last two centuries.
Given the global environmental crisis, it is essential to begin now. Pakistan currently endures an energy crisis and faces uncertain prospects for energy security. Geopolitical storms like the war in the Red Sea or the renewed Essequibo dispute are encircling energy supplies everywhere. That means Pakistan faces an urgent need to lessen its dependence on imports and large-scale foreign investment. Micro-hydro energy management is also suitable for addressing the shortcomings in both our bureaucratic and consumer culture as it provides a way around malpractice. The goal should be to create a sector where growth plus management is driven by private incentives of ordinary people.
Due to escalating climate and energy crises, re-industrialization of the world is inevitability. It is up to Pakistan, its state and society and all those willing to invest in the nation to decide what role Pakistan can seize in the transformation necessary to avoid collapse. Micro-hydro and small hydro is an essential ingredient of energy self-sufficiency and a vital source of renewable energy.
—The writer is Director at Pakistan’s People Led Disaster Management.
