The Petroleum Division has come up with a concept note to prepare the roadmap for introducing Green Hydrogen in Pakistan in a bid to replace imported fossil fuels that cost billions of dollars in foreign reserves, in addition to contributing towards Global Greenhouse Emissions.
The Secretary Petroleum has shared the concept note in a letter to M/s GIZ, the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany, the World Bank, UNDP, and the Ministry of Climate Change, according to a report in Business Recorder.
The letter acknowledged the increasing recognition of hydrogen as a sustainable energy source across the globe and emphasized its potential to aid Pakistan in saving precious foreign reserves and fulfilling its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the international community regarding climate change.
According to the letter, significant investment will be required in RandD by the international community to develop Hydrogen in Pakistan with the increased importance of climate financing.
PD has sought support from all the relevant ministries to develop the strategy to make it possible. It will require identifying key economic sectors suitable for hydrogen consumption, suitable venues, feasibility studies to assess the viability of hydrogen as an energy source across these sectors, the cost of production and distribution, and the potential demand for hydrogen.
The ministry has also proposed public-private partnerships for carrying out research and development by providing incentives to private stakeholders.
Last year, Pakistan spent nearly 66 percent of its foreign reserves, or $21.4 billion dollars on importing fossil fuels for transportation and power generation. Moreover, the energy sector contributes more than 70 percent to Pakistan’s Greenhouse Gas emissions with the country being one of the most vulnerable in the world to volatile changes in climate.
Pertinently, hydrogen is among one of the most innovative and environmentally reliable energy sources in the works which is already contributing 2.5 percent to global energy consumption. Pakistan’s adoption of the technology can solve multiple crises at once but there are significant hurdles ahead.
Source: Pro Pakistani