Pakistan has been facing acute energy crisis since last numerous years. The demand for energy is increasing rapidly in Pakistan. Energy is one of the most vital development priorities of Pakistan. The economy of Pakistan is mainly reliant on the electricity being produced by coal, oil, and natural gas. The total energy produced only makes up for a part of the total energy consumption. On the contrary, Pakistan possesses a huge potential for renewable energy sources like wind, solar, hydropower and biomass. Proper development and implementation of these alternative energy technologies can bring many benefits to the country in terms of energy, economy, environment and national security. Therefore, the key aim of this paper is to present the current energy situation and potential of renewable energy sources in Pakistan and link these factors with economy and business priorities.

1. D u r r e e s a m i n J o u r n a l ( I S S N : 2 2 0 4 - 9 8 2 7 )
J u l y V o l 1 I s s u e 3 , Y e a r 2 0 1 5
The Importance of Renewable Energy Sources in Pakistan
Umair Shahzad
(Riphah College of Engineering & Technology,
Riphah International University,
Faisalabad.
umairshahzada@hotmail.com)
I. INTRODUCTION
The world is turning into a global village and fast
industrialization process has resulted in an increased energy
demand. Prices of fossil fuels are sky-rocketing. If these fuels
are consumed at the same rate, oil and gas reserves will hardly
be available after 40 and 65 years respectively [1].
Fossil fuels cause many environmental problems. The
solution to these problems lies in the hands of sustainable
energy development. With regard to this, renewable energy
sources serve as a solution. If these sources are compared with
the conventional energy sources, it is found out that renewable
sources offer many environmental benefits. Each renewable
source has a unique advantage which makes it exclusive.
Almost none of these sources contribute to any kind of
pollution. Although, at present non renewable energy sources
such as oil, natural gas and coal are highly used for electricity
production, the role of renewable sources should not be under-
estimated and must be emphasized and understood [2].
Pakistan has been facing unprecedented energy crisis since
the last two decades. The electricity shortage is an unremitting
problem that has decelerated Pakistan’s economy. The
problem becomes sever during summer season. The huge
deficit between supply and demand has resulted in routine
load-shedding. The continuing power crisis has badly affected
the daily lives and businesses of people. It has also hampered
the wheel of industry. People are forced to deal with day-long
interruptions in electricity and intolerable heat with no rational
solution. In recent years, this problem has really aggravated.
It has resulted in a forced load-shedding of the order of about
5000 MW, for 8-10 hours daily. This has affected all the
sectors of the economy, particularly, industrial and
agricultural sector. Therefore to reinforce the economic sector,
Pakistan has to strengthen its industrial sector with cost-
effective and efficient energy sources. Energy plays a key role
in making the economy powerful. However, a majority of
countries employ fossils fuels as source of electricity
generation and in that case, Pakistan also is not invulnerable.
One significant solution is to alternate fossil fuels with
renewable sources like wind, solar, biomass and hydropower.
II. ENERGY PRIORITIES AND RENEWABLE ENERGY
According to the National Transmission and Despatch
Company (NTDC), annual electricity growth rate is estimated
to drift around 5-6% over the next ten years, which translates
to a peak electricity demand of 32,000 MW by 2020. This
demand has been and will continue to increase due to
technological advancements, escalating population, additional
industrial and agricultural activities and rising of living
standards. Electricity generation from coal, oil and natural gas
is not reliable in the long run because they will eventually
deplete. Furthermore, there is also an environmental aspect
that must be considered while using them. They pose a serious
threat to living beings due to production of poisonous
greenhouse gases which, in turn, are causing global warming
[3], [4].
Renewable energy sources do not pollute the environment.
Contrary to fossil fuel energy, renewable energy is the kind of
energy which was planned and produced in laboratories with
experiments, then conveyed to commercial consumption by its
developers and presented for the welfare of people. No doubt,
fossil fuels may be dominant at the present but the time is not
far when industries and power houses will switch to renewable
sources for power production. It is because fossil fuels have a
finite life, possessing a future of nearly fifty years, and they
create ecological hazards. On the other side, renewable
sources are infinite, clean and probable to be cost-effective
[5], [6].
Abstract- Pakistan has been facing acute energy crisis since last numerous years. The demand for energy is increasing rapidly in Pakistan.
Energy is one of the most vital development priorities of Pakistan. The economy of Pakistan is mainly reliant on the electricity being produced
by coal, oil, and natural gas. The total energy produced only makes up for a part of the total energy consumption. On the contrary, Pakistan
possesses a huge potential for renewable energy sources like wind, solar, hydropower and biomass. Proper development and implementation of
these alternative energy technologies can bring many benefits to the country in terms of energy, economy, environment and national security.
Therefore, the key aim of this paper is to present the current energy situation and potential of renewable energy sources in Pakistan and link
these factors with economy and business priorities.
Keywords- Energy crisis, energy consumption, economic impact, alternative energy technology, renewable energy sources, Pakistan

2. D u r r e e s a m i n J o u r n a l ( I S S N : 2 2 0 4 - 9 8 2 7 )
J u l y V o l 1 I s s u e 3 , Y e a r 2 0 1 5
Nowadays, much attention is slanted towards renewable
energy sources, both in the developed and developing
countries. The primary reason for this inclination is the fact
that renewable sources are much cleaner and more
environmentally friendly. However, they require long-term
planning, long-term agreements and high up-front investment.
They also involve new legal codes. These factors are not good
as far as industrial utilization is concerned. But the
degradation of environment by fossil fuels intimidates human
health, class of life and ecological equilibrium. The issue of
energy security is also very important. Energy security is the
availability of energy in different forms, in ample volumes and
at inexpensive prices to strengthen economic growth.
Therefore, the plan should be to construct an effective energy
sector which is coherent with the economic development
objectives, industrialization rate and population growth as well
as supposed to be sensible, consistent, cost-effective, high
quality and efficient. Therefore, in order to have a strong
energy market nurturing economic growth and business, the
energy sector shall possess the characteristics of energy
availability, energy efficiency, promotion of clean energy,
financial sources for energy need, future energy investments to
sustain economic growth and suitable energy policies to tackle
the perils of greenhouse effects and global warming [7].
III. ADVANTAGES OF RENEWABLE ENERGY
The most significant advantage of using renewable energy
is its sustainable nature. This means it will never run out. On
the contrary, fossil fuels will end one day. They do not
produce any toxic gases which lead to air pollution and
eventually global warming. Therefore, these sources are
environmentally friendly. Some sources, especially wind and
solar power, can bring a lot of economic benefits by providing
power to the rural areas where there is absence of transmission
lines. They can also play a vital role in stabilizing energy
prices as the cost of renewable sources are highly dependent
on invested capital rather than increasing or declining cost of
fossil fuels. Electricity provided by renewable sources is much
consistent. This is because wind turbines and solar panels are
generally distributed and modular respectively. This implies
that if some equipment is faulty, the rest can still work
normally and provide power to consumers. Last, but not the
least, renewable energy sector can provide employment to
many people as a lot of wind, biomass and solar potential still
needs to be explored worldwide, including Pakistan too.
IV. THE NEED FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
With technological advancements in mass communication,
people have now become aware of the demerits of burning
fossil fuels. Renewable energy is the need of the hour. Its
clean and sustainable nature has compelled the human beings
to think seriously about it. Scientists and Engineers, around
the world, are continuously working and researching in this
domain. They are finding new ways to use these sources of
energy effectively. Global warming is a huge hazard which is
being caused by burning of coal, oil and natural gas. It is very
harmful for the planet and the living beings on it. To put an
end to this apocalypse, we must resort to renewable sources.
This is because they are cleaner and do not produce poisonous
harmful gases. Moreover, fossil fuels are finite. They will
certainly end one day. Therefore, before the crucial stage
comes up, renewable energy sources should replace them as
the main sources of generating electricity.
V. RENEWABLE ENERGY AND PAKISTAN
Pakistan’s economy has never been a stable one. Disorders
have always been a part of it. However, after 1990s, Pakistan’s
economy started to grow at a steady pace. As a result of the
growing economy, the demand for energy increased. The
government, without realizing the importance of energy
requirement to cater the massive industrialization, encouraged
the establishment of various industries. This resulted in a huge
pressure on the limited resources of the country. Oil, natural
gas and hydropower are three primary energy sources which
are presently fulfilling the energy demands. This is depicted in
Fig.1. As a result of the limited oil and gas supply, Pakistan is
forced to import large quantities of oil and gas from Middle-
East countries, especially U.A.E. and Saudi Arabia.
Fig.1 Energy overview of Pakistan [8]
Pakistan is facing one of its worst energy crises, and with
the population growth, demand for electricity is set to augment
without bounds. Meeting this demand is an overwhelming task
for the present and future political governments, given the
fact that the current installed generation capacity of the
country is 23,578 MW, whereas at any given time, the
available (generated) capacity remains under 17,000 MW.
Adding almost 10,000 MW in the installed capacity within the
next seven or eight years, and achieving a supplementary
effective generation capacity of over 15,000 MW in the same
period of time, is a mounting task. It requires a multi-faceted
approach that incorporates improving the present distribution
system, replacing fossil fuels with renewable sources for
generating electric power and considerably cutting the line
losses, which are at an startling rate of about 25% – among the
highest in the world [9].
Pakistan is located in a very ideal position with respect to
the sunny belt. Therefore, it is blessed with an opportunity to
make the most efficient use of solar energy. Solar energy is
plentifully available throughout the country. In fact, Pakistan
has a very high insolation at about 5.3 KWh/m2/day.

3. D u r r e e s a m i n J o u r n a l ( I S S N : 2 2 0 4 - 9 8 2 7 )
J u l y V o l 1 I s s u e 3 , Y e a r 2 0 1 5
Insolation is basically the total amount of solar energy on a
given surface area during a given time. During the last few
years, considerable developments have been made in this
field. At present, solar energy is being used for a range of
purposes. These include solar water heating system, solar
electrification of rural houses, stand-alone rural telephone
exchanges, solar water pumps, photovoltaic modules,
regulators, highway emergency telephones, refrigeration for
vaccine and medicines in the hospitals etc. Fig. 2 and Fig.3
show solar electrification and solar water heating system. Both
the private and public sectors are playing a vital role in the
advancement and up gradation of photovoltaic systems present
in the country. This solar potential can be greatly utilized to
provide power to rural distant villages where power
transmission lines do not have any access. Such areas mainly
include the suburbs of Sindh and Baluchistan. Pakistan is
continuously building solar power projects in various areas of
Punjab and Baluchistan with the aid of International
Renewable Energy Agency (IREA), China. On 29th May
2012, the country has inaugurated the first ever solar power
on-grid power plant in Islamabad. The Project titled
"Introduction of Clean Energy by Solar Electricity Generation
System" is a special grant aid project of Japan International
Cooperation Agency (JICA) under Cool Earth Partnership.
This project includes the installation of 178.08
kW Photovoltaic (PV) Systems each at the premises of
Planning Commission and Pakistan Engineering Council,
Islamabad which would cater to the needs of both, the
Planning Commission (P Block), Pak Secretariat and Pakistan
Engineering Council Buildings. Combining the generation
capability of both the PV systems, a total of 356.16 kW of
electricity can be generated by the whole setup. This is the
first on-grid solar PV project which has the arrangement of
net-metering which allows the beneficiaries to sell the surplus
electricity to Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO),
the electricity distribution company of Islamabad Division.
The project is executed with the grant assistance of worth 480
million Yens (approximately 4 million US Dollars). Similarly,
Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park Project of 1000 MW has been
devised to build at Bahawalpur, Punjab. At present, the first
100 MW is under construction and will soon be connected to
national grid [10], [11], [12].
Fig. 2 Solar electrification of a rural house [13]
Fig.3 Solar water heating system installed in Islamabad [13]
Pakistan also possesses huge potential for wind energy
generation mainly along the coastal side and in the Swat
Region. These areas have good wind conditions which are
favorable for wind energy production but the major hurdle is
the lack of infrastructural facilities. If these facilities are
developed, the country can really excel in the area of wind
energy production. As mentioned above, many villages are
still not connected to the national grid. These villages can be
electrified successfully using micro wind turbines. Jhimpir
Wind Power Plant, Pakistan’s first wind power station, has
been operational since 2009 and possesses a capacity of 56.4
MW. Moreover, “Three Gorges First Wind Farm Pakistan
Company” has completed a project in Jhimpir, Sindh in
December 2014 which consists of 33 wind turbines, each
having a capacity of 1.5 MW. The same company has also
planned to build two wind power projects, each of 50 MW
generating capacity, at Jhimpir, Sindh in the year 2015. Many
projects by several companies, both public and private, are in
the pipeline and will be operational by the end of next year
(2016). Majority of these projects will take place in Jhimpir
and Gharo regions of Sindh Province [13].
Hydropower is one of the cheapest sources of power
generation available in Pakistan. Although it requires huge
capital investment but the low running costs make it feasible.
Statistics show that during 2005-2006 hydropower contributed
to 12.7% of the total energy .Currently, Pakistan has two
major dams which contribute the chief share of Pakistan’s
total hydropower production. Tarbela dam is one of the largest
in Asia and has a capacity of 3046MW and the other one is
Mangla having a capacity of 1000MW. Moreover, Ghazi-
Brotha Hydropower Project has been operational since 2002
and has a capacity of 1450 MW. Majority of hydropower
plants are under construction, the renowned ones being
Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Plant and Golen Gol
Hydropower Plant. They will be operational by December
2016 and December 2015 respectively. Feasibility studies are
presently going on for many dams like Upper Palas
Hydropower Project (in Khyber Pakhtunkhawa Province),
Thakot Hydropower Project (Khyber Pakhtunkhawa Province)
and Patan Hydropower Project (on River Indus). The

4. D u r r e e s a m i n J o u r n a l ( I S S N : 2 2 0 4 - 9 8 2 7 )
J u l y V o l 1 I s s u e 3 , Y e a r 2 0 1 5
government has also commenced the development of Micro
hydro Kaplan turbine in a local industry for utilization of
available low head in canal systems of Pakistan. A total of 228
run-of-river type plants, with a total capacity of 3 MW, have
been installed in Khyber Pakhtunkhawa Province of Pakistan.
These plants provide electric power for lights at night as well
as are used to run small industrial units. New projects such as
Kalabagh dam and Bhasha dam will be completed in near
future. Over the last sixty years, about 4800 MW has been
extracted from various hydropower plants and this potential
still remains to be fully utilized [14], [15].
Large amount of solid biomass consisting of wheat stalks,
rice husks and cotton cobs is produced annually in Pakistan.
Biomass is also commonly found in plants. It is mainly used
for cooking in rural areas. The country has huge potential for
generating electricity from biomass. Considering only the
sugar industry, it has the potential of producing more than
1000 MW of electricity from bagasse. Many offices, factories
and farms produce a lot of solid waste every day. At present,
there is no system to dispose off this waste in a reliable
manner. It is estimated that urban areas of Pakistan produce
about 55000 tons of solid waste daily. In Karachi alone, more
than 7,000 tons of solid waste is formed on a daily basis.
These large amounts of waste can be used as a fuel. For
example, they can be burnt in incinerators and the heat
generated can be used to heat the buildings and offices. United
Kingdom produces about 28 million tons of household hold
waste annually. This can generate about 1700 MW of energy
which is sufficient to meet the energy demand of 2.7 million
homes. This example clearly shows how significant is biomass
in production of clean electricity. Recently, Pakistan has
signed an agreement with China to work collectively on a
biomass project to put an end to energy crisis in Pakistan. This
agreement was signed between Guangzhou Institute of Energy
Conservation (Chinese Academy of Sciences) and The
University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan in August,
2013.Thus, all the above mentioned potentials of renewable
energy sources should be employed by Pakistan in order to
capitalize itself in energy sector [16], [17].
We all know that fossil fuels will exhaust eventually and
government must think critically towards this fact. The
National Power Policy should be modified accordingly to
develop an efficient and consumer-centric power generation,
transmission and distribution system which integrates
maximum amount of available renewable sources. The policy
should set realistic ambitious objectives and targets. In
particular, it should give due consideration to renewable
sources of energy which have the potential to play a primary
role in ensuring the energy security and independence of the
country.
Keeping the generation cost minimal should be the prime
priority of the government, but from a policy perspective, it is
also important that a long-term potential for different sources
of energy and technologies is considered and incorporated in a
way that the policy is capable of harnessing the evolving
technological developments and associated economic and
environmental benefits. It might not be an exaggeration that a
renewable energy uprising at the global scale is in progress
and we are not realizing its full potential. The newly devised
National Power Policy has not fully grasped the simple fact
that the cost of renewable sources will continue to decline
while the cost of fossil fuels is likely to amplify in the coming
years.
Against this backdrop, the fundamental question is: does
the Power Policy of Pakistan suitably include the evolving
technologies to ensure our energy security in a competitive
manner on a reasonably long term basis? The answer to this
question is a big NO, if due consideration is not given to
renewable sources of energy.
Pakistan’s current energy mix is highly skewed towards
thermal and fossil fuel based power generation sources. Major
portion of thermal sources consists of furnace oil, coal and
natural gas. With rapidly depleting local natural gas reserves
and import of furnace oil, such power generation is highly
expensive and is likely to become even more vulnerable.
There are plentiful renewable energy resources in the
country including but not restricted to hydro, wind, solar,
biomass, geothermal and tidal. These sources must be used
efficiently and timely in order to rectify the energy crisis in
Pakistan and put the energy situation in the country on the
right path.
VI. CONCLUSION
This is the century of advanced technology with high rates
of industrialization and to keep this momentum going, role of
energy is very important. The need for renewable energy is
ever increasing throughout the world. Many developed nations
have already made efficient use of renewable energy sources.
During the past few years, the consumption of renewable
energy sources in Asia has augmented. Countries such as
China and India have realized the fact that there is no way
forward without investing heavily in the renewable energy
sector. Similarly, many developing nations such as Pakistan
are currently facing severe energy crisis. Unfortunately these
countries are not making rapid progress in this critical sector.
There is a tremendous potential of various renewable energy
sources in Pakistan but lack of funds, poor infrastructure and a
meager effort on the part of government are ruining the energy
situation. Today, the commonly used energy sources in the
world are fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas and oil.
Moreover, most of the technologies are designed to run by
these sources. However, their utilization means polluting the
environment and causing ecological imbalance. Pakistan is
facing relentless energy crisis and it must do something
substantial in order to cope with the ever-increasing energy
demand. It should minimize the usage of contaminative energy
sources and resort to renewable sources like wind,
hydropower, biomass and solar to counter the huge problem of
energy demand. The country possesses huge potential in this
zone and renewable energy can play a significant role in
solving the dilemma of energy. The government must devise
strict energy policies, both on national and provincial levels,

5. D u r r e e s a m i n J o u r n a l ( I S S N : 2 2 0 4 - 9 8 2 7 )
J u l y V o l 1 I s s u e 3 , Y e a r 2 0 1 5
for generation, transmission and distribution of electricity,
employing renewable sources of energy. Innovative solutions
must be brought forward to create triumph stories.
REFERENCES
[1] Mwasha I.J. , “Towards energy sustainability in the world”, International
Journal of Energy and Environment, 2010.
[2] Hepbasli A.,“A key review on exergetic analysis and assessment of
renewable energy resources for sustainable future”, Renewable and
Sustianable Energy Reviews , 2008.
[3] Demirba A., “Energy issues and energy priorities”, Energy Source (Part
B), 2008.
[4] Kaygusuz K., “Hydropower in Turkey: The sustainable energy future”,
Energy Source (Part B), 2009.
[5] Andreaa Z., Ildinko I., Florentina C., “Mixed instruments in promoting
renewable energy sources”, The European Experience , Annals of
University of Oradea, 2008.
[6] Sterzinger G., “The economic compromise of renewable energy”, New
Labor Forum, 2007.
[7] Kaygusuz K., Bilgen S., “Energy related environmental policies in
Turkey”, Energy Source (Part B), 2008.
[8] Bilal H., Rehaman A.U. , “ The face of renewable energy in Pakistan”,
unpublished.
[9] Bilal Anwar.” The case of renewable energy in Pakistan”, The Friday
Times, 29 November 2013 [Online], Available at
http://www.thefridaytimes.com/tft/the-case-for-renewable-energy-in-
pakistan/ (Accessed 20th April 2015)
[10] Irfan A. Mirza, Sana Ahmed, M. Shahid Khalil, “Renewable Energy in
Pakistan: opportunities and challenges”, Science Vision, COMSATS,
January 2010.
[11] Pakistan gets first on-grid solar power station, 2012 [Online], Available
at http://www.jica.go.jp/pakistan/english/office/topics/press120529.htm
(Accessed 20th April 2015).
[12] Anwer Sumra, Quaid-e-Azam solar park, The Express News, 27th
March 2015 [Online], Available at https://tribune.com.pk/859627/quaid-
e-azam-solar-park-solar-energys-100mw-to-arrive-ain-april/ (Accessed
20th April 2015).
[13] Munawar A. Sheikh. “Energy and renewable energy scenario of
Pakistan”, Journal on Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews,
2010.
[14] Dunn S., “Hydrogen features: toward a sustainable energy system”,
International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2002.
[15] 32 Dams to be constructed, 2010 [Online], The Nation,Available at
http://nation.com.pk/Business/10-Mar-2010/32-dams-to-be-constructed,
(Accessed 20th April 2015).
[16] Zaigham N.A.,Nayyer Z.A. , “Prospects of renewable energy sources in
Pakistan”, Proceedings of COMSATS Conference on Renewable Energy
Technologies & Sustainable Development, 2005.
[17] Pakistan China to work on biomass project, The Express News, 29
August 2013 [Online], Available at
http://tribune.com.pk/story/597086/pakistan-china-to-work-on-biomass-
project/, (Accessed 20th April 2015).