Renewable Energy Resources

Technology plays an important role in modern economic society. Sustainable technology helps society to preserve ecological balance, but unsustainable technology does the opposite. As such, it is important to use inherently sustainable technologies in every sector of human activity. Like many other developing countries of the world including Malaysia, Singapore and India, Pakistan is also an energy deficient country. Since last few decades, its electricity generation has become dependent to a large extent on petroleum fuels. However, the country faces a gap of 4500 MW between the demand and supply of electricity, registering a shortfall of 43 %.( Daily Times, 2010). The depletion of petroleum resources and their environmental impacts have started to have far reaching consequences on development and the need to find renewable energy alternatives has become all the more urgent.
The total estimated hydropower potential in Pakistan is more than 40 GW out of which only 5.01 GW has been tapped so far ( Pakistan Times Federal Bureau Report, 2010 ). In terms of available solar energy, Pakistan is amongst the richest countries in the world, having an annual global irradiance value of 1900–2200 kWh/m². Despite that fact that biomass plays an important role in primary energy mixes, it has not managed to break into the commercial energy market. Wind power, also identified as a potential source of energy, is yet to take.
This paper provides an overview of the key dimensions of the energy crisis facing Pakistan, i.e. the growing gap between demand and supply, diminishing indigenous oil and gas reserves, rising energy cost and security concerns. Based on secondary data and in-depth interviews, it also explores hydropower, solar energy, biomass and wind power as sustainable energy options for the country. The advantages and disadvantages of hydrogen energy are discussed and it is concluded that a combination of fuel cells and a hydrogen infrastructure is the way forward to...