We have not really encouraged cost-effective solar energy source which should have seen some major investment in solar thermal power plants in our sun-belt areas, at base production costs of less than equivalent 4 US cents per kWH unit. How is it that we are allowing new gas-based power plants when cost, and availability, of natural gas would be subject to worldwide inflation? If we could ensure more power at overall less gas consumption per kWH unit from the present power plants, why should we allow new investment in inefficient power plants, causing both high foreign exchange loss in capital investment and continued high foreign exchange loss in imported gas consumption?
We need to urgently take action to ensure high-efficiency operation of our existing combined cycle power plants and set up solar thermal power plants to avoid dependence on inefficient and highly polluting power plants as being presently done.
(Concluded)
Engr. Ainul Abedin (Karachi)
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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