The solar park would have capacity of 5.2 million PV cells producing as much as 1,000MW of electricity, enough to power about 320,000 households
Pakistan plans to set up the world’s largest solar park 1,000 Megawatt, as part of its plans encourage renewable energy resources, said Pakistan Federal Minister for Climate Change Zahid Hamid.
“Pakistan has also enacted the National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act 2016 to promote effective conservation and efficient use of energy,” he said while addressing a press conference.
Zahid Hamid led a delegation to represent Pakistan in COP22 Conference held in Morocco, Conference provided a platform to signify achievements made in addressing climate change.
This mega project will be led by a Chinese Company Zonergy under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) . The plant named as Quaid-e-Azam Solar Power Park (QASP) in Cholistan Desert, Punjab, would have 400,000 solar panels, spread over 200 hectares of flat desert, glare defiantly at the sun.
The mega Plant would have the capacity of 5.2 million photovoltaics (PV) cells producing as much as 1,000MW of electricity, Construction and installation is already underway and is expected to be completed in 2017, will be enough to power about 320,000 households.
The Minister said Pakistan has also implemented National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act 2016 to promote efficient use of energy and effective conservation.
He informed the world community that Pakistan’s contribution to global warming is minimal, adding, “We emit less than 1 % of total annual global greenhouse gas emissions. Yet we are ranked amongst the top ten countries most vulnerable to climate change.”
The Minister also emphasized that such factors pose major concerns for Pakistan socioeconomically and not to forget the country’s recurrent floods, rise in sea levels, higher average temperatures and higher frequency of droughts.
Being a responsible member of the global community Pakistan had taken essential steps to address the threat of climate change. He termed “Prime Minister’s Green Pakistan Programme” as a historic initiative, which would be implemented across the country and will cost amount of Rs2-billion.
While answering the questions the minister said “Finalization and submission of Pakistan Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat will serve as our climate change agenda, taking into account the latest situation relating to our development needs and strategies”