Faiza Tehseen

Pakistan can tackle energy shortages and environmental pollution by promoting green energy.

“All industrial units, large or small, need to shift to green energy to make them more sustainable and productive,” said Zulfiqar Ahmed, head of the media and communication wing of Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI). Talking to WealthPK, he said, “RCCI has installed an on-grid solar system with a capacity of 60 kilowatts. This solar system is battery-less and 100% self-sufficient.” Besides, he said the chamber had installed rainwater harvesting and recharge systems on its premises. He said all the air conditioners in the RCCI building were solar-powered and contained environment-friendly gas called R-410A refrigerant, which was the least damaging to the environment and human health, and didn’t deplete the ozone. “Argon/nitrogen mixture-free surface mount LED (SMD lights) have been installed in RCCI to provide a perfect working environment and ensure lower lumen depreciation.

To save energy and cut heavy electricity bills, traditional switches have been replaced with automatic light sensor switches, which get switched on automatically when needed.” He said RCCI had ISO-14001 and ISO-2015 standards certifications for promoting green initiatives, making it the first-ever green chamber. “As the cities grow and demand for energy increases, the need for renewable clean and green energy supply has become crucial. Shifting to renewable energy modes is not a big shot for large industrialists, but the support of the government is necessary for small and medium enterprises to power their operations through green energy,” Ahmed said. Talking to WealthPK, chief executive officer of Islamabad-based MIA Corporation (Pvt) Limited, Usman Ashraf, pointed out besides the known impacts of carbon emissions on the environment, refrigerants commonly used in air conditioners and refrigerators were silently adding to greenhouse gases.

He called for both households and industries to instal environment-friendly gadgets due to their positive impact on the economy and ecology. “These types of installations using green technologies have become important to combat global warming.” He said his company had long been in the HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) business. He said the company used the most ecologically responsible alternatives having no ozone depletion in assembling/engineering the HVAC units. “By promoting eco-friendly trends in the economy, a new market can be set up for job and work opportunities.” He said this new market had vast scope to attract investment, promote exports and resilience to climate change. “Embracing sustainability by using environment-friendly technologies will also bring socioeconomic benefits, including good health and a secure future for the coming generations.”

Credit: INP-WealthPk