CSS Current Affairs | Prospects for Renewable Energy Projects in Balochistan
The following question of CSS Current Affairs is solved by Haleema Bibi under the supervision of Howfiv’s Pakistan Affairs and Current Affairs Coaches. She learnt how to attempt 20 marks question and essay writing from Sir Syed Kazim Ali, Pakistan’s best CSS and PMS English essay and precis teacher with the highest success rate of his students. This solved past paper question is attempted on the pattern taught by Sir to his students, scoring the highest marks in compulsory and optional subjects for years, and uploaded to help aspirants understand how to crack a topic or question, how to write relevantly, what coherence is, and how to include and connect ideas, opinions, and suggestions to score the maximum.
Outline
1- Introduction
2- Renewable energy potential in Balochistan
- ✓Solar energy
- ✓Wind energy
- ✓Biomass energy
3-Benefits: Economic, Social, Environmental
3.1-Economic benefits
- ✓Job creation and skill development
- Case in point: In Bahawalpur, the Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park has created over 1,000 jobs during its construction.
- ✓Reduce dependence on fossil fuels
- Case in point: The province has the potential to implement over 14 GW of renewable energy projects within 5-10 years through the least-cost pathway.
3.2-Social benefits
- ✓Reducing energy poverty
- Case in point: According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), about 770 million people in the world still live without electricity.
- ✓Enhance education and healthcare
- Case in point: For instance, “equipping with modern solar power facilities, the Balochistan government has completed the solarisation of 12 educational institutions and hospitals.”
3.3-Environmental benefits
- ✓Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
- Case in point: For instance, solar energy potential, with an average daily global insulation of 19 to 20 million joules/m2 a day.
- ✓Preservation of natural landscape
- Case in point: For instance, solar and wind energy projects in remote areas decrease the need for traditional energy sources.
4- Challenges in implementing renewable energy projects in Baluchistan
- ✓Lack of technical capacity and R&D
- ✓Lack of transmission distribution infrastructure
- ✓Lack of investment and financing
5- Conclusion
Answer to the Question
Introduction
Global energy demand is increasing with the passage of time due to the rapid population, usage of new technologies, and development. Similarly, many developing countries, including Pakistan, face energy shortages. Fortunately, Balochistan is a province of Pakistan that has a vast climate and geographical advantages that will help solve the country’s energy crisis. Evidently, Pakistan’s Solar Market is estimated to increase at a CAGR of 49.68% from 1.30 GW in 2023. In fact, renewable energy sources, including solar, wind and thermal energy, are popular in the country. Moreover, the country needs low-cost energy to maintain its economic growth. Renewable energy projects’ goals are to reduce poverty and ensure justice and energy protection for future generations. Similarly, renewable energy has many benefits for the country, including economic, social, and environmental benefits. Despite its vast renewable energy potential, the country faces many challenges in implementing renewable energy projects, including a lack of coordination, transmission infrastructure, and financial constraints. However, the country also provides opportunities for investment to tackle these challenges and open its renewable energy potential. Therefore, the country can prepare the way for a cleaner and more energy secure.
Renewable energy potential in Balochistan
Balochistan has significant potential for renewable energy projects due to its geographical and climate conditions. Renewable projects include solar energy, wind energy, hydroelectric energy, and biomass energy.In the province, the total solar power generation potential is as much as 1.2 million MW, which makes it one of the most solar-rich regions in the country. Besides extended solar radiations, Balochistan is also fortunate to have a large rate of wind speeds and over 20,000 MW of wind power capacity. The coastal areas of the province, including Gwadar, Makran, and Pasni, are the locations for high wind power generation due to the suitable climate. The wind speed in this region is at least 3m/s, and wind turbines are used to generate electricity. Moreover, the Biomass project further enhances the geographical importance of Baluchistan. Biomass energy projects are used to generate electricity for organic matter, including wood waste and agricultural waste. In the provinces where there is a high demand for electricity, biomass projects are acceptable for those areas. Therefore, the implementation of renewable energy in the province is encouraging, with a meaningful future for power generation.
Benefits: Economic, Social, and Environmental
A. Economic benefits
- ✓Job creation and skill development
Renewable energy projects create jobs and skill development opportunities in the construction, maintenance and operation phases, which contribute to local economic growth. For instance, in Bahawalpur, the Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park has created over 1,000 jobs during its construction, and it is expected to create over 14,000 jobs in Balochistan by 2030. Therefore, renewable projects in Balochistan have positive impacts on job creation and economic growth, which provide a sustainable future for the province.
- ✓Reduce dependence on fossil fuels
Renewable energy projects reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels, which provides several economic benefits and enhances economic stability in the province. For instance, the province has the potential to implement over 14 GW of renewable energy projects within 5-10 years through the least-cost pathway. Therefore, this crucial increase in renewable energy capacity reduces dependence on imported fuels and saves foreign rate exchange.
B. Social benefits
- ✓Enhance education and healthcare
Renewable energy projects improve access to education and healthcare facilities that create new economic opportunities and development, contributing to social upliftment. For instance, “equipping with modern solar power facilities, the Balochistan government has completed the solarisation of 12 educational institutions and hospitals.” Therefore, renewable energy projects enhance education and healthcare facilities in the province.
- ✓Reducing energy poverty
Providing reliable electricity to households and businesses and renewable energy significantly reduces energy poverty, which improves living standards. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), about 770 million people in the world still live without electricity. Apparently, renewable energy sources, including solar, wind and biomass, reduce energy poverty in rural areas where the grid is impracticable. Therefore, renewable energy helps alleviate energy poverty and promotes social well-being, fairness and economic development.
C. Environmental benefits
- ✓Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Moreover, renewable projects in Balochistan have several benefits, including greenhouse gas emissions. For instance, solar energy potential, with an average daily global insulation of 19 to 20million joules/m2 a day. Through photovoltaic cells, this high solar potential can be converted into electric energy, which reduces the dependence on traditional energy sources and minimises environmental destruction. Therefore, renewable energy projects reducing overall Pakistan greenhouse gas emissions.
- ✓Preservation of natural landscape
Similarly, renewable energy projects has also preserving of natural landscape. For instance, solar and wind energy projects in remote areas, decreasing the need for traditional energy sources, and reducing environmental pollution. Moreover, projects reducing the dependence on coal and wood, which decreasing air pollution, improving well-being and health crisis. Therefore, this approach promoting sustainable development in the province.
Challenges in implementing renewable energy projects in Baluchistan
- ✓Lack of technical capacity and R&D
The first and foremost hindrance in the development of renewable energy projects in Baluchistan is limited technical capacity and R&D. Undoubtedly, the lack of development organizations, financial resources, and technical awareness creates crucial hurdles to the adaptation of renewable energy technologies in the province. In fact, this lack of resources makes it challenging to maintain and implement effective renewable energy projects. Therefore, to address this challenge needs to be emphasized by the federal and provincial governments.
- ✓Lack of financing and investment
The second significant challenge for renewable energy projects in Balochistan is the lack of financing and investment. Due to the uncertain regulatory environment, the government has limited capacity to manage large–scale renewable projects in the province. This challenge can be addressed when the government and private sectors start working together to create a more favourable regulatory environment for the development of renewable energy projects.
- ✓Lack of transmission distribution infrastructure
Last but not least, there is a lack of transmission and distribution infrastructure in the province. Apparently, the lack of transmission infrastructure is a significant problem for the development of renewable energy in the province, which makes it difficult to efficiently distribute electricity to the population. Many rural communities are not linked to the national grid system, which is badly affected, further increasing energy poverty. These challenges can be addressed through microgrids, microgrids, and hybrid systems, which are considered viable solutions solutions. Therefore, these systems enhance credibility and significantly reduce transmission losses in the province.
Conclusion
In short, the prospects for implementing renewable energy projects in Balochistan are rising. Evidently, there is 1.2 million MW of total solar energy potential in the province. Additionally, there are many suitable areas for wind energy exploration, including Noshki, Kharan, and Killa Saiffullah. Apparently, the projects have several benefits for the province, including social, economic, and environmental benefits. However, the province also faces several challenges in implementing renewable energy projects, such as a lack of technical capacity and R&D and a lack of transmission distribution infrastructure. Nevertheless, despite these challenges, the Balochistan government made important strides in upgrading renewable energy. The province, through the least-cost pathways, has implemented over 14GW of renewable energy projects within five to ten years. Therefore, the province can become a major hub for solar power in Pakistan, providing clean and low-cost energy to the country’s overall energy security.
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