In view of the negligible share of coal in Pakistan ‘s current energy mix, the Economic Survey called for an increase of up to 30% in the energy mix by 2030.
In view of the fact that the base load could not be completely replaced by renewables at this stage and that hydropower was seasonal, thermal options remained critical to the country’s energy mix, the survey noted.
The first of the Thar coal and associated mine projects was commissioned as a national priority project in July 2019 and has since generated an energy output of 4,155 GwH, resulting in savings of up to $130 million compared to LNG and imported coal sources.
The Economic Survey also noted that, despite the historical volatility of rising energy source in Pakistan’s energy mix, an Integrated Energy Strategy was established to evaluate the supply gap in demand and implement evidence-based long-term policy options.
According to the survey, competition is underway between coal , natural gas and renewables to feed Asia’s fast-growing economies. However, coal is expected to gain more importance in the energy mix of most developed countries.
Bloomberg’s New Energy Outlook 2019 also highlights planned additions to coal-fired power plants with more than 200,000 MW in China, more than 51,000 MW in India, 11,000 MW in Japan, and 27,000 MW in the rest of the world. Survey notes that a massive coal-shaped energy resource exists in Pakistan and further exploration in different areas is underway, but only a fraction of it is being used. Local coal use should be encouraged in the coming years in order to allow greater contributions.
