Japan to give loans for developing energy sector

[RayKalm]

KARACHI: The government of Japan plans to provide Pakistan government the grants for developing solar energy sector and loans for Hydro power projects to overcome its energy crisis, Mr. Tomoyasu Fukuchi, consulting engineer of Japan International Cooperation Agency JICA, said.

In a meeting with Zubair Motiwala, chairman, Sindh Investment Board, and other officials here Thursday, Tomoyasu Fukuchi, who is heading a team of JICA, said they are visiting Pakistan to collect data on alternate energy sector.

“The JICA team would collect detailed information on progress with regard to alternate energy sector, as the Japan government intends to provide grants and loans. Japan would provide loans to private investors for solar and hydro power projects,” he told.

He further informed that three companies of Japan namely Fuji, Hitachi and Mitsubishi are manufacturing wind turbines in Japan.

Zubair Motiwala suggested the Japanese delegation to give also recommendations in the survey report on how to improve the living standard of people residing in wind corridor.

He also briefed the delegation on Thar coalfield and other alternate energy projects undertaken by the government.

Director General Sindh Investment Board Muhammad Riazuddin suggested the Japanese delegation to install a pilot project of wind turbine so that the local investors could be given knowledge about its performance.

He told that Sindh has capacity to produce 50, 000MW electricity through wind and Sindh government has provided land for such projects that would produce 1329MW electricity.