Wind and sun

Pakistan has been gifted with an abundance of renewable energy sources in the form of wind and solar, which are available for most of the year in almost all areas of the country. In particular, we have a large air corridor extending from our border with Iran in the west to the border with India in the east. It is a pity we make very little use of these renewable and inexpensive sources for our energy requirement and have relied heavily on costly and polluting fossil fuels. Hydro-power, though a renewable resource, entails enormous costs, a long gestation period, ecological damage and social upheaval resulting from the displacement of the towns and villages that get submerged in the impounded water. Wind and solar energy don’t have these problems.

It is good to know that the government has decided to use solar power to the maximum extent possible. A start may be made by using solar power in all government offices, schools and hospitals while other potential users should be encouraged and facilitated to do the same. In addition, private companies engaged in installing solar equipment must start an aggressive publicity campaign to highlight its benefits.

M Zubair Farooqui

Islamabad