Introduction

Pakistan Council of Renewable Energy Technology (PCRET) has successfully completed installation of wind turbines under a PSDP Project "Electrification of Remote Coastal Villages using Wind Energy" by installing 155 micro wind generators, electrifying more than 1600 houses. Under the Project 0.5, 1.0, 3.2, 5.0 6.0 and 10 K.W wind turbines were imported from China, USA, Spain, Germany and Australia. They have been installed in the coastal belt of Arabian sea in the provinces of Sindh and Balochistan. PCRET technical personal has acquired training in assembling and installation of these wind generators through the courtesy of Peoples Republic of China. These wind turbines are functioning successfully and supervisory service, in case of operation and maintenance is provided to the end-users by the PCRET technical staff.

Presently, PCRET intends to acquire expertise in design and fabrication of different components of wind turbines in the range of 5kw and 10kw power generation capacities. Technology transfer for this purpose is required to be made from leading countries in wind energy technology i.e. China, USA and others.

Harnessing the Viability

There are hundreds of villages in the coastal belt on the Arabian Sea that need to be electrified by wind energy as they are not included in the priority program of the Government for rural electrification due to difficult terrain. Whereas viability of the wind power generation has already been established by installing 155 small wind turbines in the area. It can be adjudged from the fact that a large number of applications are pending with PCRET for installation of wind turbines.

Potential

The energy derived from wind power over the globe till December 2008 exceed 100,000 MW, which represents 40% of the total energy derived from other sources of Renewable Energy (Hydro, Solar, Biomass Geo –Thermal etc.) all over the world.

The coastal belt in Pakistan has power generation potential of more than 50,000 MW  that can be harnessed through appropriate wind machine for which local manufacturing of wind turbines is necessary in order to save precious foreign exchange.

Feasibility study on the availability of wind velocity at sustainable speed for running wind turbine in the coastal belt of Arabian Sea located in the Provinces of Balochistan and Sindh of Pakistan has been carried out. It has been found that the wind corridor is available from Gharo to Keti Bandar in Thatta district of the Sindh Province, having a power generation potential of 50,000 MW. Similar is the case of Lasbella District of Balochistan Province, where wind at a sustainable speed, good for power generation is available with little variation in the seasons (5 meters per second in winter and 8 meters per second in the summer).

Advantages 

Wind Power Generation has many advantages:

• Wind turbine produce energy with out pollution.
• No extra fuel is required for power generation, except wind, thus no fuel cost and no price risk are involved. 
• Making power supply possible to remote, inaccessible locations, where national grid expansion is impossible.
• Due to local fabrication, indigenous industry will flourish and people will get employment opportunities, besides becoming skilled in manufacturing of wind components.

Achievement of PCRET

• 155 wind-generating units of 0.5 kw to 10 kw power generation capacity have been installed for the neglected segment of the society.
• About 1600 houses of remote coastal villages in Sindh & Balochistan have been electrified. 
• More than 400 applications for wind electrification from remote coastal village, are pending with the PCRET due to successful completion of first phase of the project.
• There is a need for further dissemination of technology, as most of the villages in the coastal areas, particularly, in Lasbela district of Balochistan, Badin and Thatta district in Sindh are still deprived of the basic amenities of life including electricity.

The following measures need to the adopted for better and smooth functioning of wind turbines.

o Selection of sites must be need based and on available potential (wind speed) interest, cooperative aptitude of beneficiary and will. 

o Wind Turbine (stand alone system) are to be provided to those villages, which are physically inaccessible and economically feasible for supplying electricity from the national grid. 

o Projects on “Wind Energy” for meeting the country’s energy needs should be encouraged particularly for electrification of remote coastal villages. 

o Local manufacture of wind turbines should be encouraged for economic exploitation of the wind energy potential available in the country. 

o Government should facilitate the local manufacturers of wind turbines by exempting taxes on import of raw material like permanent magnet, copper wire, polymers etc. required for local manufacturer of wind turbines. 

PCRET intends to enhance its capability by engaging trained manpower in wind power generation and indigenous production of wind turbines that suits to local conditions. A PSDP Project titled “Electrification of 1500 Households of Coastal Areas by Indigenous Improved Wind Energy Turbines” is being launched in near future.