Vice Chancellor UET Texilla, Dr. Abbass Chaudhary along with UAF Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan inaugurates Agricultural Machinary Exhibition at UAF

Pakistan being in the Sunny Belt and is lucky to have long sunshine hours coupled with high insolation levels and is ideally located to take advantage of solar energy technologies. This energy source is widely distributed and abundantly available in the country. This was stated by Speakers at a International Seminar on “Prospects, Development & Utilization of Alternate Energy in Pakistan” organized by Pakistan Society of Agricultural Engineers in collaboration with Faculty of Agricultural Engineering & Technology University of Agriculture, Faisalabad (UAF) at New Senate Hall on Saturday. Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan, Vice Chancellor UAF Presided over the Seminar and Prof. Dr. Muhammad Abbas Chaudhary, Vice Chancellor UET Texilla was Chief Guest on this occasion. Mr. Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan, MPA, Dr. Muhammad Ashraf Chaudhary, Member Parliament New Zealand, Khalid Javed Ranjha, Additional Secretary Energy Punjab, Shehzada Khurram from Clean Alternative Energy (CAE) ex Livestock Minister, Mumtaz Khan Manhais, PAEC Representative Dr. Nawaz Akhtar, Dean Faculty of Agri. Engineering UAF, Dr. Rai Niaz Ahmad, Dr. Muhammad Ghaffar Dogar, Mushtaq Ahmad Gill and Dr. Allah Bukhsh spoke on the occasion. Scientists from Switzerland, Mr. Anton Joseph, Scientist from Italy, Mr. Ing Fausto Distante made presentation. Scientists said that the mean Global irradiation falling on horizontal surface is about 200-250 watt per m2 per day. They added that this amounts to about 1500-3000 sun shine hours and 1.9 - 2.3 Mwh per m2 per year. Speakers said Pakistan can make use of this freely available and widely distributed solar energy for improving the socio-economic conditions of the people living in remote areas and to reduce the poverty level. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan said that there id nexus between agriculture, Energy and Water so that Scientists have to focus their attention to maintain this momentum. Dr. Iqrar revealed that a centre for International Standard Bio-Gas Energy will be established at UAF Campus with the help of Punjab Government. He was of the view that a Solar Panel Manufacturing plant as well as 3.8 Mega watt Solar Power Generation Plant would be established at the Campus which will provide affordable Solar Panel to the consumers. UET Texilla Vice Chancellor, Abbas Chaudhary said that Technical Universities can play significant role in order to provide solution to the Energy Crises being faced by the Country. Dr. Rai Niaz said that a state of the Art Bio-Gas Plant has been established with collaborative solutions to the farming community. Rana Muhammad Afzal said that Chief Minister Punjab, Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif utilizing the all resource to generate energy through hydel, Coal, Bio-Gas and Solar Resources in the Province. Khalid Javed Ranjha said that Punjab Government is going to set up Mega Project on Tonsa Barrage for the generation 120 Mega Watt Power. Mumtaz Khan Manhais urged the need for small Solar Units for farming community at Subsidized packages at village level. Shehzada Khurram said that his company would establish ever First Solar Energy Technology Development Plant at Faisalabad in which Solar Panels and other machinery would be manufactured at Local Level. Mushtaq Ahmad Gill said that we have to switch over our traditional power generation system to renewable energy mechanism. Dr. Allah Bukhsh Conducted the Seminar.