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Carbon emissions are primarily caused by 43% of fuel consumption and 31% of coal usage, with a significant share coming from motorbikes and rickshaws, which contribute to pollution.
During a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change, officials from the Ministry of Energy further informed that a target has been set to achieve 60% renewable energy by 2030.
The meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change, chaired by Senator Sherry Rehman, was held at the Parliament House in Islamabad.
Officials from the Ministry of Industries and Production briefed the committee on the Electric Vehicle Policy, stating that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has formed a steering committee to oversee the policy’s implementation.
On this occasion, the Secretary of the Ministry of Climate Change emphasized the importance of introducing electric vehicles in public transport to reduce carbon emissions, further affirming the commitment to achieving 30% electric vehicles in the country by 2030.
The committee chairman questioned officials from the Ministry of Industries and Production regarding the number of local manufacturers. In response, the officials stated that the concerned officers were currently in a meeting with the Prime Minister.
Expressing displeasure over the lack of preparation, the chairman directed the officials to come well-prepared for the next meeting.
Meanwhile, during a briefing on renewable energy, the Ministry of Energy officials reiterated the goal of achieving 60% renewable energy by 2030, highlighting that reaching this target would enhance sustainable energy resources.
On this occasion, Minister of Energy Awais Leghari stated that power plants had previously been installed under different policies. However, a new system has now been introduced, ensuring that power plants will be set up only through a competitive process.
He further mentioned that green finance would be essential in this regard, noting that 2,500 MW of thermal power plants had already been retired. The government is striving to transition to green energy as swiftly as possible.
During the meeting, energy officials discussed carbon emissions, stating that 43% of emissions come from oil and 31% from coal, with motorbikes and rickshaws significantly contributing to pollution.
Awais Leghari briefed the committee that investment encouragement is needed for the implementation of the electric vehicle policy. Increased investment would lead to the establishment of more charging stations.
He emphasized that the installation of more charging stations would encourage people to adopt electric vehicles. Additionally, the ministry has developed green building codes, which, if properly implemented, could lead to substantial energy savings.
Providing further details, he noted that electricity demand doubles in the summer due to cooling needs. The ministry has already written a letter to the Ministry of Housing regarding this issue. He also mentioned that a solar revolution has taken place in the country, recalling that he initiated net metering regulations in 2017. There are no plans to discourage solarization.
The Federal Minister for Energy stated that investment in solarization is yielding returns within 18 months. Under the new regulations, investment recovery from solar power will take four years. Currently, every solar user is selling electricity at Rs 22 per unit.
He further elaborated that the government is purchasing expensive solar electricity and reselling it to other consumers. Transmission losses must be minimized, and existing agreements under net metering regulations should not be reviewed. However, failure to implement the new regulations could result in an additional burden of Rs 103 billion on other consumers.
He also highlighted that the government is no longer in the business of purchasing electricity. The National Transmission & Dispatch Company (NTDC) is being divided into three parts. In December, electricity was provided to the industry at Rs 27 per unit, and discussions with the IMF are ongoing to maintain this package for the next three years. The country has surplus cheap electricity, which will be supplied to industries.
