To ensure continuous supply of affordable energy is a serious issue Pakistan has been facing for decades. Biofuel, as a renewable energy source, can help cut the country’s reliance on imported fuels, consequently enhancing the nation's energy security. Faraz Khan, an energy expert at Islamabad-based Pakistan-German Renewable Energy Forum (PGREF), said this while talking to WealthPK. Given its favourable climate for crops, the country can generate energy from crops, plants, biowaste, and other organic sources.

According to the Pakistan Economic Survey FY2022-23, Pakistan produces the least energy from renewable sources. The country’s total installed electricity capacity stands at 41,000MW; the percentage share of hydel, thermal, nuclear, and renewable is 25.8%, 58.8%, 8.6%, and 6.8%, respectively. Faraz said certain factors like devaluation of the rupee, substantial current account deficit, and diminishing foreign exchange reserves could pose significant potential threats to the country’s energy security.

“Considering the current conditions, the primary forms of biofuel production in Pakistan include ethanol, biodiesel, and biogas. Of them, ethanol holds a prominent position due to its substantial production capacity in the country,” he said. Explaining the source of ethanol, he said, “Ethanol is sourced from energy crops, with maize (corn), sugarcane, rice, barley, and sweet sorghum being the primary feedstocks alongside various other biomass materials like straw, grass, and wood”.

One prominent advantage of using biofuel as an energy source for Pakistan, Faraz said, lay in its ability to meet the carbon-emission targets. “Biofuels emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere during combustion, but the process of producing biofuels involves planting plants and crops, which serves to offset and mitigate these carbon dioxide emissions.

“For a country like Pakistan, substantial fluctuations in global oil prices pose a significant economic risk, disrupting the entire landscape of the country's business, agriculture, and manufacturing sectors. Consequently, making a concerted effort to minimize reliance on imported fuels should be a paramount national objective,” he added. Concluding, he said diversifying the energy mix had become the primary necessity of Pakistan so as to absorb the negative effects of fluctuating global oil prices. In this context, biofuels stand out as the preferable option.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)