Pakistan’s pivot to coal to boost energy gets critics fired up

[Captain77W]

True, but to compensate, we must be growing forests. Programs such as billion tree tsunami should spread throughout the country.

1 billion trees per city/District

 

[Kambojaric]

I have noticed section of media crying about coal equals pollution. It's like coal is a lethal pollutent in Pakistan but everywhere else smells of roses. The world average for electricty generated from coal is 40%. A sample of coal as electricty below gives us a idea -

India - 75%
China 75%
Poland 84%
Australia 61%
Germany 43%
USA 40%
Japan 30%
Uk 30%

https://www.statista.com/statistics...rgy-in-global-generation-by-country-and-type/

Some of these are highly developed countries that are crazy about green energy have very strong public lobbies against pollution. Yet Australia is at 61% and even Germany at 43%. In Pakistan traditionally coal provided less then 3% of electric power. This is conspiciously at variance with global average and instead the country has used expensive oil and gas as energy. Oil is the most expensive and subject to regular price hikes. Oil should never be used for electricity consumption for a country like Pakistan as it has to be imported and instead should be reserved for transportation. Gas also should be reserved for domestic and industrial use as again it is expensive.

Coal is relatively cheap and prices are stable. Further because it is not subject to OPEC or geopolitics the prices remain stable. Green energy for Pakistan is non starter. As I have shown even the green friendly countries that cry about coal being curse use it at about 40% in their energy mix.

What people don't understand is gree energy is fine but you always need a basic source of reliable electricity supply which can be modulated. The green energy comes on top of the base and cannot form the base as it is unreliable across 12 months, 24 hour time cycle. The base energy supply can come from oil, gas, coal or nuclear. Even hydro energy has cycles as low rains can mean reduced production and in Pakistan we have the conflicting need for agriculture also.

Out of the oil, gas, coal or nuclear the only viable option right now is coal. Nuclear energy is another option [Japan has gone down that road] by nuclear plants are expensive and have long gestation times. We needed energy now. Pakistan should at least have 20% as coal in it's mix. Even now with all those new coal plants Pakistan only will have 10% as coal fired electricty. Target should be 40%. Pakistan should not be using expensive furnace oil or gas. One is bleeding the country to death and other should be used for domestic/industrial use or even CNG for transport.

10%. Compare that to the list above. Then see all the complaints from every corner.


https://tribune.com.pk/story/1693962/2-lobbies-work-turn-energy-mix-favour/

Undoubtedly! Below are three power mixes from 2015. These say everything:

Couldnt be more glad that we are reducing reliance on furnace oil power plants. Reduces reliance on the Mid-East, will reduce the import bill especially as the price of oil continues to recover due to OPEC-Russia supply cuts, and helps us in developing a more balanced foreign policy.

 

[Fawadqasim1]

Ha ha ha

 

[Fawadqasim1]

its not about what type of energy clean or dirty its about imported energy which affects our currency our exports and our economy etc if one has abundant sources of energy at home why to use hard earned foreign exchange to import it which in turn make your export industry irrelevant in international markets its a vicious cycle

 

[Fawadqasim1]

This oil/energy import mafia wants us to go to imf if we do we can never get out this vicious cycle of importing costly energy

 

[LeGenD]

For the ignorant and naive: https://endcoal.org/resources/coal-impacts-on-water/

Coal is one of the most-water intensive methods of generating electricity. A typical coal plant withdraws enough water to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool every three and a half minutes. The International Energy Agency says that global water consumption for power generation and fuel production is expected to more than double from 66 billion cubic meters (bcm) in 2010, to 135 bcm by 2035. Coal accounts for 50% of this growth.

Despite the looming water scarcity crisis, today there are more than 1200 new coal plants proposed around the world. Much of proposed coal expansion is in water stressed regions – regions which already have limited available water for sanitation, health and livelihoods.

Coal power plants will exacerbate water crisis in Pakistan. Planting trees is not a fix, and we cannot just plant trees everywhere and damage various eco-systems. Trees need water too.

Pakistan should tap into renewable energy on a country-wide scale, and start new hydro-electric projects.

 

[Fawadqasim1]

Green or red my contention is we should not generate electricity by burning imported fuel (coal, furnace oil, l.n.g) it makes our export based industry uncompetitive puts pressure on our foreign exchange and is the primary cause of load shedding in the country

 

[Imran Khan]

we need power fvck critics

 

[Fawadqasim1]

Asal baat jo iss interview main samar mubarak mand sahib ne kee hay uss pe koye bat karne kalya bhee amada naheen hay kuon?

if there are some technical or environmental or geopolitical or interprovincial problems we should discuss them.