Renewable energy: German envoy urges govt to approve Cat-III projects

ISLAMABAD: German Ambassador Alfred Grannas has urged the government to approve Category-III renewable energy projects to provide affordable and clean energy to underprivileged parts of the country.

In a letter to Minister for Power, Khurram Dastgir Khan, German Ambassador referred to M/s ibvogt GmbH, one of the German largest solar developers, which has been actively involved in the development of a solar project portfolio in Pakistan, with a total capacity nearing 300MW.

According to the ambassador, amongst these projects, the Gwadar solar project, named “P&G Energy Pvt Ltd” stands out as the most advanced and developed initiative, with a capacity of 62.2 MW. This project has successfully obtained a generation licence and a tariff of Cents 3.77/kWhr from the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra), having accomplished all significant milestones.

“Having secured the necessary construction finance for the project, ibvogt GmbH is eagerly awaiting the issuance of the Letter of Support (LoS) from the Government of Pakistan to commence construction,” the Ambassador said adding that Power Minister’s Office has formed a Committee under PM’s Office Unofficial Note of January 31, 2023. This committee has conducted three meetings thus far, and during the third meeting, the Federal Minister for Power proposed a way forward for the approval of 13 Cat-III wind and solar projects that have already obtained generation licenses and tariffs from Nepra.

In October 2022, the Federal Minister for Power expressed “approval of Cat-III projects will be a significant leap towards renewable energy.”

“I wholeheartedly support the solution put forth by the Federal Minister for power, Khurram Dastgir, to the committee constituted by Minister Office and I request urgent approval of this matter during the upcoming Cabinet Committee on Energy Meeting (CCoE),” the ambassador added.

He further contended that approval from the Cabinet Committee on Energy meeting will greatly contribute to the realization of Minister’s vision to provide affordable and clean energy to underprivileged regions of Pakistan.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023