Energy Minister Imtiaz Ahmad Sheikh has said that 33 projects in the air corridor of Jhampir and Gharo in Sindh are providing 1835 megawatts of environment-friendly and green energy from wind.
He said this on Monday while speaking as the chief guest on the occasion of the inauguration of Goldwind Solution Factory at a local hotel in Karachi.
Consul General of China Yang Guanguan, Director Goldwind Solution Yang Jainyong, former Vice Chancellor of Mehran University Aslam Aqeeli. NED University Pro Vice Chancellor Dr. Tahir and others were present on the occasion.
Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh said: “I am very happy to inaugurate this wonderful session on technical solutions in wind turbine technology by Goldwind China in Pakistan, in which all stakeholders including wind IPPs and especially representatives from various engineering universities are present,” he said.
Imtiaz Shaikh said that energy is the lifeline of the economy and it has a direct impact on socio-economic development. He said that the Sindh Energy Department was established in 2013 and the provincial government has achieved great achievements to overcome the ongoing energy crisis in the country in the past 10 years. “Prolonged efforts to develop Thar coal have paid off and today three projects of about 2 GW are operational and some projects are in the pipeline,” he added.
The energy minister said that the Sindh government is strongly encouraging environment-friendly and green energy projects and added “we want them to work quickly towards their own and environment-friendly sources of energy”. He said that around 477 wind turbines are being installed by Goldwind on eight wind IPPs which is encouraging. He said that there is a huge market for wind power; we are further developing wind, solar hybrid projects.
Imtiaz Shaikh said that the proposed solution factory with in-country spare parts and operation and maintenance facility will not only reduce operational costs of wind projects but also provide an opportunity for local technology transfer. He said that the establishment of Goldwind Turbine Solution Factory is another step towards success. He said that according to a report, the population of the country will increase by 30 per cent by 2050, which will require 60 per cent more energy and 60 per cent more food. “Resources are limited, we need technology and innovation to meet future needs while protecting the environment,” he added.
