Sustainability of Renewable Energy Options as Compared to Coal-Fired Power Plants in Pakistan

Abstract

Though frequent availability of energy is vital for economic growth, using any energy source can have a certain degree of impact on the environment. Pakistan is facing the worst power crisis nowadays. The government of Pakistan has been focused to find energy solutions in fossil fuels. As the world moves towards a clean sustainable direction, coal sources, are cheap at the moment, and new coal-based power plants can be put up quickly with a predictable output, but with the degradation of the environment, Pakistan can utilize sustainable energy resources such as biomass, solar energy, hydropower, and wind power; which are frequently available in Pakistan and can generate environment-friendly power above 40,000 MW. It is necessary to consider these sustainable energy resources, as their prices have been dipping dramatically and it is now cheaper to build new commercial plants based on improved technologies able to generate more electricity. The present paper discusses the insight environment-friendly sustainable energy options available in Pakistan other than coal-fired plants to overcome future energy demand.