Pakistan
has a considerable potential of wind energy
in the coastal belt of Sindh, Balochistan and
as well as in the desert areas of Punjab and
Sindh. This renewable source of energy has however,
not so far been utilized significantly. The
Wind Data of all Pakistan has been collected
from Pakistan Metrological Department and analyzed
by AEDB. As per the collected data, the coastal
belt of Pakistan is blessed with a God gifted
wind corridor that is 60 km wide (Gharo ~ Kati
Bandar) and 180 km long (up to Hyderabad). This
corridor has the exploitable potential of 50,000
MW of electricity generation through wind energy.AEDB
has made a wind resource study to setup the
benchmark
wind speed values at different levels from
Gharo and Jhimpir regions at present.In addition
to that there have been some other wind sites
have been exploited in coastal area of Balochistan
and some Northern areas. Most of the remote
villages in the south can be electrified through
micro wind turbines. It is estimated that more
than 5000 villages can be electrified through
wind energy in Sindh, Balochistan and Northern
areas. |
Pakistan Meteorological Department’s
wind mapping stations
|
With
the efforts of AEDB, aggressive lobbying for
investment has been done with national and international
investors to make them realize the potentials
of renewables particularly the wind energy.
Working papers with national and international
companies have been signed. Till date, 93 LOIs
have been issued for 4650 MW wind power generation
.
|
National
Renewable Energy Laboratories (USA) under the
USAID assistance program in 2007 has carried
out the wind resource study of Pakistan and
developed a meso scale map showing the wind
speed potential available at 50m altitude [0].
NREL study has also discovered the wind corridor
in the south of Pakistan (Figure below) as already
been discovered by PMD (Figure above). The NREL
wind resource map of Pakistan has given a great
boost to the wind power development activities
in the wind corridor regions. Now this potential
area has become the focal point for the development
of wind energy in the near future. |
The Board is negotiating with international
companies to start micro wind turbine manufacturing
and manufacturing of parts of large wind turbines
in this consortium. So far, large wind turbines
for power generation have not been installed
in Pakistan. However, about 30 wind mills for
pumping water have been installed for experimental
purposes in different parts of Sindh and Balochistan.
In addition to the development activities in
wind energy field for on grid electricity production,
the wind energy is also being used for the electrification
of remote off grid villages in the southern
coastal areas of Pakistan. So far more than
18 villages have been electrified using micro
wind turbines. Indigenous development of micro
wind turbines has also commenced in Pakistan. |
Pakistan Wind Resource Map developed
by NREL USA |
