On paper, the government’s new initiative to encourage gas consumers to switch to electricity for heating and other uses in the next ten years, as well as its ambition to significantly reduce energy consumption in residential, commercial and industrial buildings, seem excellent. Can the Rs45 billion energy efficiency and conservation programme, which aims to save over Rs540 billion annually, be completed without taking into account different household income levels and company costs?
In comparison to the global average of 30 to 40%, Pakistan consumes 55 percent of the total energy consumed annually, ranking among the nations with the largest percentage of energy consumption for residential, commercial, and industrial structures. Three-fourths of the energy used by the overall building sector is in residential buildings.
However, architects and urban planners believe that if homes, workplaces, malls, and other buildings are planned while taking into account the local climate, the use of energy-efficient electric and gas equipment, etc., energy usage in this sector can be drastically reduced. But doing so will necessitate significant adjustments to land use and building codes, as well as a sharp decline in land and construction costs to free up funds for owners to invest in energy-efficient products and methods.
Along with encouraging the manufacturing of energy-saving, efficient equipment and making it affordable for low- and middle-income households, the government will also need to pass rules to halt the production of subpar gas and electric appliances.
There is universal agreement that the nation needs to begin moving in this path right away. However, the authorities will also need to develop and put into action a short- to medium-term plan if they are to meet the project’s goals, which include lowering energy costs for residential and commercial consumers as well as reducing imports of fossil fuels.
In order to lower power rates and encourage people to switch to electricity, that plan should concentrate on fixing the issue of the significant amount of electricity wasted as a result of a flawed transmission and distribution system. Overall consumer expenses will decrease if solar and wind energy are aggressively adopted. In addition, if the goal is to make energy accessible and lessen the population’s reliance on fossil fuels to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Pakistan needs to take action to promote rooftop solar and optimise the use of sunshine.
