PMO on solar power
Running the Prime Minister's Office on solar power has set a national example for the country to go for all measures in adopting alternative energy options. This should create the awareness on the urgent national need for mobilising alternative energy sources, given our fast receding natural gas reserves and the lack of other local energy resources. The Hon. PM should instruct the Ministry of Information so that this awareness is well projected in all our audio-visual and print media, both official and private, to generate public interest and awareness.
We have ample alternative energy resources to exploit, and these need to be harnessed; the sooner the better. Photovoltaic panels should be compulsorily installed on the roofs of all buildings above four floors, both new, as well retrofitted to all existing ones. WE should go for portable wind turbine power plants on the roofs of all high-rises. This is now available in the UK and Spain which have started installing it in their urban high rises. Alongside this, solar hot water heater can be encouraged to save natural gas or electricity consumption for heating and boiling drinking water. All high rises having more than nine apartments or flats, must install a bio-gas plant to generate methane to be used as household fuel, instead of natural gas. This must be made compulsory for all public and private buildings, and large residences; like hotels, hostels, residential halls for students, police and army camps and clusters of government built quarters for the accommodation for its officials.
All these must be legislated, so that the facilities are installed within a tight time frame. I would request the Hon. Prime Minister to go for these suggestions in our overall national interest for saving our energy resources and reducing the consumption of electricity.
To be effective, the government should make the import of all alternative power and energy plant, equipment and components duty free. The over all cost benefit on the long term basis will help the nation to save large volumes of imported liquid fuel and coal needing valuable foreign exchange! Side by side, coal mining and coal based power plants has to be put on line as soon as possible to replace old and inefficient oil and gas based power plants, that are now wasting imported fuel.
All these are possible, and if the Hon. PM takes the lead, should soon be on stream. The Energy Regulatory Commission can be entrusted to execute this vital national programme. Without tapping on to alternative energy and power resources, our national development plan will fail. There is no time for us to waste any more!
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