Tractebel advises Pakistan on the development of renewable energy

Energy experts from Tractebel (formerly Lahmeyer International) have been contracted by the World Bank to advise Pakistan on the integration of wind and solar energy into the national power grid. Tractebel presented its initial findings in workshops held in Lahore and Islamabad in January 2019. The project initiated by the Ministry of Energy is running until April 2019.

Pakistan has recorded steady economic growth over the last few decades. This has been accompanied by rising energy demand, a higher percentage of which should be generated by renewable sources in the future. In order to effectively integrate variable renewable energy (VRE) into the existing system, extensive planning and analysis is required. In the future, this task will be carried out by planning teams from different authorities and utility companies. Tractebel specialists are preparing for this as well as performing specific analyses on the integration of VRE by the year 2040.

Workshops transfer expertise for planning and analysis

The project has three aims: To create a planning and analysis model for the integration of VRE as well as supporting the relevant planning teams as they develop their capacities. Equally important is to transfer knowledge on the challenges and opportunities of integrating renewable energy. The experienced consultants will make use of the simulation and optimisation software PLEXOS for their plans. The software developer EnergyExemplar is also involved in the project.

The model created by the Tractebel experts allows, for example, for a realistic simulation of reserve availability in order to ensure smooth operation despite fluctuating renewable energy. In addition, it calculates the cost benefits of the renewable resources as a ‘fuel saver’ for conventional fuels, also taking into account existing purchase agreements known as ‘Take or Pay Contracts’.

The previous workshops show that the project has gained a high level of acceptance among the stakeholders. A meeting at the Ministry with the federal secretary and CEOs of the utility companies was also well received. Following a number of further workshops and training courses, Tractebel’s work will come to an end in April 2019 with a concluding event. Here the findings of the study will be presented and planning exercises completed for integrating VRE into the power supply by 2040.