Islamabad: The Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund has received global recognition for its Community Managed Hydropower Plants. The award winning project is about 55 micro hydro plants completed in Northern Areas during the period 2004 to 2015 with funding from the World Bank, and the United States Department of Agriculture The prestigious Energy Institute (EI), UK has selected these PPAF projects in the EI Awards Community Initiative category for 2016. Besides clean energy the project is providing light and much needed economic opportunities through enterprise development for nearly 12,000 households.
The PPAF supported Yourjogh Micro Hydel plant in District Chitral, Khyber Pukhtunkhwa generates 150 KW of electricity to fulfil the energy needs of 140 households.
PPAF is at forefront to play lead role in increasing access to modern, affordable, reliable and sustainable energy resources. PPAF began its renewable energy programme in 2003 and has completed over 3,900 projects of different types and sizes through grants and microcredit funded by the World Bank, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through the German Development Bank (KfW). These include development of mini hydroelectric plants, decentralized solar lighting and solar home systems, wind energy projects, solar-wind hybrid systems, solar water pumping projects and biogas plants.
PPAF with funding from KfW is currently implementing the Hydropower and Renewable Energy project. Under this project, PPAF through its partner organizations is implementing 5 Micro and Mini Hydro Power Projects ranging from 36 kW to 306 kW in Chitral, Buner, and Upper Dir districts of KP while the Solar Lighting System (SLS) component of the Project covers 96 mini-grid systems with a cumulative capacity of 500 kW in the Lakki Marwat, Karak and Swabi districts of KP.
PPAF and its development partners share a vision where access to renewable energy can improve the socio-economic conditions of underdeveloped and underserved communities. The energy crisis today is the greatest challenge to Pakistan’s social and economic development. Despite having immense potential of renewable energy resources including wind, solar, and hydel, the country has been facing severe electricity shortages for the past 10 years.
Qazi Azmat Isa, CEO of PPAF, said,
“PPAF is committed to combating poverty and mitigating the effects of climate change on marginalized communities across Pakistan. Many such communities are without access to energy and with the continuing energy crisis in Pakistan it is essential that we increase their access to affordable, reliable, modern and sustainable energy. The EI Award is a testament to our efforts in increasing access to energy.”
The EI Awards are run annually by the Energy Institute to celebrate the outstanding achievements in the energy sector by both individuals and organizations. The EI Awards recognize those in the industry who have demonstrated excellence and innovation in their daily work, and thus made an invaluable contribution to shaping our energy future. This year, there were over 140 entries for the EI Awards from across 23 countries including India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Australia, United States, Canada and many of the European countries.
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