Sindh Energy Minister Imtiaz Shaikh on Saturday visited the Pakistan International Maritime Exhibition and Conference (PIMEC) under way at the Expo Centre.
While talking to The News, he emphasised the need for green energy. He said that in view of climate change, the importance of generating green environment-friendly energy was increasing rapidly. “The conference would give Pakistani products a worldwide recognition and the country’s foreign exchange reserves will increase tremendously,” he said.
The minister also visited the stalls of products that generated electricity from sea, wind, water and sunlight, oil and gas. He said that there were many opportunities for blue economy in the energy sector. “The speed of wind in the sea is many times better than on land, so wind turbines can be installed on the sea and beach to generate cheap electricity.”
Shaikh said that an economic zone could be created in the coastal area which would be an important milestone in the development of the coastal area. “The energy department will cooperate to develop offshore wind projects near coastal areas,” he said, adding that floating solar energy would be created for economic development of the country.
The minister said that the energy department wanted to work with the Pakistan Institute of Oceanography to develop floating solar projects in coastal areas. “Floating solar systems and offshore wind projects can expand blue economy opportunities through affordable energy,” he added.
He said land for water-based green energy projects was several times cheaper unlike most land-based solar plants and their floating arrays could be stationary.
Energy Secretary Abu Bakr Madani, Project Director World Bank Solar Project Mahfouz Qazi, Director Oil and Gas Haq Nawaz Sher, Chairman SEPCO Board Agha Lal Bakhsh Khan, and others were also present during the visit.
