South Korean Firm Installs Solar Power Plant in Pakistan

      Pakistan's largest province, Baluchistan, by area, is rich in mineral resources, but while it is highly strategically located near Iran and the rest of Pakistan, it remains quite underdeveloped. Over the past few years, foreign companies have forged partnerships with the provincial government for extraction of valuable minerals from the area. Presently now a South Korean company plans to develop a solar power plant, which will help bring prosperity and growth to the region.
       CK Solar Korea has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Baluchistan government to set up a 300 megawatt solar power project near the province's largest city, Quetta. The project is expected to require a total investment of $900 million and is to be completed by 2016. This project is to aid and bring relief to the province, which like the rest of the country, is suffering from extreme power shortages.
       Provincial Secretary of Energy, Fuad Hashim Rabbani, claims that "this project will help overcome the shortfall of electricity in Baluchistan. The project will provide green energy particularly in areas where there is no conventional electricity option." He also adds, "Currently, the local population of targeted areas are using kerosene lanterns, which is hazardous to the health and non-economical due to the intermittent price hike." He also notes that electricity to medical facilities such as hospitals, Basic Health Units and installation of solar street lights were amongst the major benefits of the project.
       In addition, the project will help the province increase in self-reliance in terms of the energy industry. While the province is the gateway to Pakistan's much needed energy supplies from the neighboring country Iran, it lags behind most parts of the country in economic development. Despite being very rich in natural resources and being the largest province in the country, Baluchistan's contribution to Pakistan's gross domestic product has been less than 5% between years 1973 and 2000.

Japan Endorses Solar Energy to Ghana

      In the midst of Ghana's energy crisis, Japanese ambassador to Ghana, Naoto Nikai, has urged Ghanaian authorities to invest in solar energy. At an event to inaugurate the first stage of the 315 kilowatt Solar Electricity Generation System at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) in Accra, Nikai had stated: "The utilization of renewable energy, such as solar power, is the future and the utilization of it will enable us to better sustain our planet and our lives."
     In addition, Ghana is to be seen as a country plentiful of sunlight shining upon them throughout the year, which brings solar power to be an appropriate option for them. Nikai has claimed that in 2010, the government had extended a grant of 610 million yen (approximately $7.6 million) for the project aimed at introducing clean energy through solar electricity generation system for the Noguchi Institute.
     "I hope that the government of Ghana will fully utilize the system and ensure the provision of necessary resources to maintain it in good shape for years to come," said Nikai. Professor Kwadwo Ansah Koram, Director of NMIMR, also said the design and procurement processes were currently underway for the second stage of the project, which will increase the generation capacity by another 400 kilowatt hours, accumulating to a total of 715 kilowatt hours. He notes that this will add on to the electricity power generation in the country as well as adding the excess power to the power grid to supply the rest of the university. "Besides the immediate cost of savings," he said, "additional benefits will accrue in terms of reduction in carbon emissions and less delirious impact on the environment."
      Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Minister of Energy and Petroleum, said "the first phase of the 315 kilowatt solar park is unique because it is the first large-scale project to be commissioned since the passage of the Renewable Energy Bill into Act (Act 823), which seeks to create the enabling environment for the development of renewable energy sources in Ghana." He also said the project was a clear demonstration that solar energy could contribute to cost-effective energy conservation and management, as well as government institutions.