UNIDO launches US$ 7.12 million ‘Green Energy Project’ in Pakistan

  • October 1, 2013, 6:54 pm
  • Business News
  • 440 Views

ISLAMABAD, Oct 1 (Online): The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) with funding from Global Environmental Facility (GEF) launched a US$1.82 million “Energy Project” with additional funding of US$5.30 million as co-finance from the Private sector.

The Project entitled: “Promoting Sustainable Energy Production and Use from Biomass in Pakistan” will promote market based adoption of modern biomass Gasification technologies in Pakistan for the next four years.

The Project will be implemented in partnership with Centre for Energy Systems –National University of Science and Technology, Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund and Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency, Private sector and Provincial Energy Departments.

“Pakistan being an agricultural country possesses a fuel for future which is cheap, clean and abundant in Pakistan. Biomass Gasification Technology converts solid fuels into combustible gas mixture called producer gas (CO+H2+CH4) and four distinct processes happening in the Gasifier. This technology has done wonders in the world and especially in our neighboring country-INDIA. The same will be replicated in Pakistan under the umbrella of UNIDO,” stated, Muhammad Ahmad, National Project Manager for Biomass in Pakistan.

Under this Project UNIDO is committed to install 3MW rice husk based gasification power plant at a rice mill in Gujranwala, 1MW wood residue based gasification Unit and 300KW unit for electrifying the rural area of Sindh. UNIDO will not only promote the technology but will also result in the local manufacturing of biomass gasifiers.

“The Project will lay a strong foundation for finding new ways of clean energy by demonstrating technical feasibility & economic viability of biomass gasification technology,” stated, Mr. Mhlanga Industrial Development Officer, UN Headquarters, Vienna, who was visiting Pakistan for the project launch.

He further explained how project will address the barriers on the policy side by including this very efficient technology in Pakistan’s national and provincial energy policies.

Mhlanga also emphasized that UNIDO has already identified the local manufacturers of Biomass Gasifiers and will work on to strengthen the technology support systems by doing the capacity building of local manufactures , engineers , biomass experts and R& D side . This way Pakistan will be able to locally manufacture and fabricate the biomass Gasifiers which will result in low cost of biomass gasification energy systems.”

He further explained that UNIDO is committed to promote such green energy technologies in Pakistan realizing its huge potential. UNIDO on one side will be working to build private sector confidence on the economic viability and technical feasibility of biomass gasification technology.

The Biomass Energy Project is getting huge support from Government, private sector, Academia and stakeholders and can help Pakistan to cater energy crisis by utilization of such technologies.

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