ISLAMABAD: Around 22 solar power projects having a cumulative capacity of 772.99 MW are under different stages of development and can achieve commercial operation by 2015-16.
These projects would achieve commercial operation by stipulated period subject to availability of Grid by National Transmission & Despatch Company (NTDC) Limited Pakistan and announcement of tariff by National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA).
Sources at Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) on Wednesday said the department is pursuing and facilitating the development of Alternative and Renewable Energy (ARE) based power projects through private sector.
The Renewable Energy (RE) power projects based on wind and solar energy are being developed by private sector on Independent Power Producer (IPP) mode.
Moreover, the sources said two wind power projects of 49.5 MW and 56.4 MW capacities respectively are operational while three wind power projects of 150 MW capacities in total are under construction and expected to be completed this year.
They said another thirteen wind projects having a cumulative capacity of 680 MW are at advance stages and ready to achieve financial closing in 2014.
The sources said Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) is promoting use of solar technology at domestic level for electricity generation adding that the private sector is already using solar energy for domestic use for self-consumption as there is no restriction or licensing requirement.
The RE Policy allows consumers to avail features like Net-Metering and Wheeling of Energy which require interconnection with the grid, they said and added the implementation of such schemes, however, requires regulatory framework enabling the domestic, commercial and industrial users to carry out net-metering and wheeling using solar energy.
The AEDB has also prepared draft rules for distributed generation, covering electricity generation from solar at domestic level, and submitted the same to NEPRA for announcement.
The NEPRA, being the regulator, is the concerned agency for developing regulatory framework including incentives.
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