ISLAMABAD, Aug 12 (APP):Minister for Power and Petroleum Omar Ayub Khan Wednesday unveiled the salient features of Alternative Energy Policy-2019, under which 75 percent of the country’s total electricity would be produced through indigenous resources by 2030.
“We have the target to produce 20 percent of the country’s total electricity through renewable means, including solar, wind and geothermal, by 2025 that will be taken to 30 percent by 2030. While, 75 percent of the total energy-mix needs to be fulfilled through indigenous resources by 2030, “he said.
He was addressing a news conference flanked by Minister for Science and Technology Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Petroleum Nadeem Babar, SAPM on Power Shahzad Qasim and Secretary Power Omer Rasul.
Omar Ayub said the Council of Common Interests (CCI) had recently approved the new policy with consensus to make the country self-sufficient in energy sector.
Under the policy, he said competitive bidding would conduct to bring down the electricity rates.”The solar energy projects that have been initiated during our tenure have brought down the rate even from four cents per unit,” he added.
The minister said availability of inexpensive electricity would benefit industry and domestic consumers, besides creating more job opportunities.
He said Pakistan was also focusing on local manufacturing of the equipment like solar panels and wind turbines used in renewable energy production.
