Techno-economic study of renewable energy in Pakistan: The case of solar energy

Renewable energy technologies are considered as clean sources of energy and optimal use of these resources minimize environmental impacts, produce minimum secondary wastes and are sustainable based on current and future socio-economic needs. They provide an excellent opportunity for mitigation of greenhouse gas emission and reducing global warming through substituting conventional energy sources which ultimately reflect the climate change threat. In many countries, these are selected on the basis of routinely available indigenous resources such as biomass, wind, solar, hydropower, and geothermal. The increasing trend of inexhaustible alternative energy sources, uses such as solar, wind, hydro and biomass in developing countries can play a dominant role in reducing CO2 emissions. In comparison to ongoing dependency on fossil fuel-based electricity, solar energy promises a more economic and uninterrupted source of electrical energy. Solar energy is the low cost, universal source of energy as the sun shines throughout the year. This energy can be converted into useful electrical energy using photovoltaic technology. In the past 30 years solar systems have experienced rapid sales growth, declining capital costs and electricity generation cost, and has continued to improve their performance characteristics. Unfortunately, many places in Pakistan, the lack of reliable power grid, whereas continuous outage of electricity are causing serious problems in every field where reliable power is essential. Pakistan is blessed with 5.5 Wh m−2 d−1 solar insulation with annual mean sunshine duration of 8–10 h d−1 throughout the country. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), USA in collaboration with USAID reported that the solar energy potential of 2.9 Million MW exists in Pakistan. Pakistan set a target to add approximately 10 GW of renewable capacity by 2030 in addition to replacing 5% diesel with biodiesel by 2015 and 10% by 2025. This paper presents a thorough review of the current status and future potentials of renewable energy sector in Pakistan.