Islamabad: The US-Pakistan Centre for Advanced Studies in Energy at the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) hosted a seminar titled “Leveraging Indigenous Coal Resources for Sustainable Energy in Pakistan,” focusing on the advantages of using local Thar coal over imported coal to enhance Pakistan’s energy security and economic stability.
According to National University of Sciences and Technology, the seminar built on the findings of a whitepaper by USPCAS-E, advocating for a strategic pivot towards Thar coal to bolster national energy security and reduce the economic strains from coal imports. The discussions emphasized Pakistan’s rich coal deposits in the Thar region, estimated to produce enough electricity to meet the country’s needs for the next two centuries without relying on costly imported coal.
Experts at the seminar, including Dr. Adeel Waqas and Dr. Majid Ali from USPCAS-E, along with industry leaders like Mr. Said Ali Nawaz from PPIB and Mr. Shahab Qader Khan from KE, shared insights on the pivotal role Thar coal could play in stabilizing energy costs and driving sustainable development. Salman Nazir and Farrukh Ahmed discussed the potential impacts of Thar coal on the national energy grid and industrial sectors like cement, highlighting the broader economic and environmental benefits of this shift.
The seminar concluded with a collective call for increased collaboration among government, industry, and academia to maximize the utilization of indigenous coal resources, aiming to secure a more sustainable and economically viable future for Pakistan.