Pakistan has great potential: Experts

[Naveed Yaseen]

Pakistan being an emerging economy in the South Asian region and a gateway to Central Asian states, houses enormous renewable energy potential. Its unique geographical location is ideal for investment and enhancing business activities that could serve the local market and easily be exported to Central Asia, said Member Energy Planning Commission Dr Akhtar Awan.

He stated this at the opening session of a two-day EU Pakistan Renewable Energy (RE) Capacity Building & Matchmaking seminar organised by the Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) in collaboration with the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) and European Union (EU) here. AEDB CEO Arif Alauddin, German Embassy Deputy Head Ms Ina Lepel along with Mr Volker and EU representatives were also present at the opening session.

“Pakistan is amply blessed with renewable energy sources and the Pakistani government is committed to harness this potential to meet its growing energy demands and the souring prices of fossil fuels,” Dr Awan said and emphasised the importance of Renewable Energy (RE), saying that in the framework of the EU-Asia Invest programme, the Bundesverband Solarwirtschaft E.V. (BW-Solar) coordinates the EU-Pakistan Renewable Energy Capacity Building and Matchmaking project. “The aim is to enhance business opportunities between the Pakistani business community and the European industries in the field of renewable energies and rural electrification,” he said.

He said that it also aims to raise awareness about the potential RE market in Pakistan for investment. “It will contribute to a better understanding for joint ventures into RE technologies in Pakistan and hence will contribute to the availability of quality RE products and services in Pakistan,” he said.

He said he was proud of the Pakistani private companies that took an initiative in the setting up of RE based businesses in the country and these meetings would enhance business opportunities between the Pakistani business community and the European industries in the field of renewable energies for grid connected application and off-grid rural electrification.

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