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Arab News
4 days ago
- Business
- Arab News
Lit by the sun: How solar power is transforming lives along Pakistan's southern coast
SUJAWAL, Sindh: Holding a battery in one hand and an LED light in the other, Abdul Ghani waded through the salty waters of the Arabian Sea to reach his small wooden boat. It was just past sunset, the sky dimming fast, but Ghani had no fear as he had light. Ghani is one of hundreds of Pakistani coastal residents who have benefited from a green energy initiative under the World Bank-backed Sindh Solar Energy Project (SSEP), a multi-component program that aims to bring sustainable power to over 1.2 million of the southern province's poorest and most energy-deprived people. While torches don't offer adequate visibility in the vast seascape, and boat generators scare fish away when powered on, the battery-powered LED lights from the home energy system have proven to be an unexpected boon for nighttime fishing for residents like Ghani. 'Earlier, I couldn't catch any fish, but now when I go fishing using these lights, by the grace of God, I catch good fish,' the 45-year-old fisherman from Karo Chan, a coastal village in Sujawal district located in Pakistan's southern Sindh province, told Arab News. 'This helps me support my children and manage our livelihood.' The project targets people either without any electricity or facing power cuts, identified through Pakistan's national poverty scorecard, a data-driven assessment tool used to identify and prioritize assistance for low-income households. 'Each family has a solar system with fans, three LED light bulbs, mobile charging facility, along with a charge controller and a battery package,' Mehfooz Ahmed Qazi, the project director, told Arab News. 'All these cost Rs6,000 ($21), ten percent of the actual price, to instill a sense of ownership in the users.' Qazi said the project, launched in October 2019 and set to be completed in July 2025, had four components: a 400-megawatt solar power initiative for grid integration, rooftop solar systems for public sector buildings including 34 district headquarter hospitals, off-grid solar home systems for poor households and the establishment of solar equipment standardization laboratories at NED University in Karachi and Mehran University in Jamshoro. The key objective of the project is to promote the potential of green energy across the province. Out of the 400 megawatts planned for grid integration, 270 megawatts will be added to the system of K-Electric — serving over 3.4 million customers in Karachi and surrounding areas in Sindh and Balochistan — not only increasing the share of green power but also helping reduce electricity tariffs for residents of Karachi. By the end of the project, 34 megawatts of rooftop solar installations will be set up on buildings across the province, while 200,000 solar home systems will be distributed, benefiting 1.2 million families. Of these, 50,000 families in five coastal districts, including Sujawal, will receive solar home systems under the third component of the project that started in February this year. For families like Ghani's, the change has been immediate and life changing. 'I turn on three lights,' he explained. 'When we turn on the lights, small fish come. Seeing the small fish, the big ones also come. Where I place my net, both big and small fish come into it.' Ghani also uses the system at home once he returns from the sea. His wife, Kulsoom, said life, was once defined by heat, insects and fear of the dark, had now changed. 'Previously, there used to be complete darkness,' she said. 'The children would be distressed. We didn't even have a fan. It used to be extremely hot, and we would suffer.' Like many women in rural Sindh, Kulsoom's day revolves around managing the household and caring for her children. Now, her nights are more peaceful. 'Now that we have solar [system], we are very happy, and the children sleep peacefully,' she said. 'COMPLETE DARKNESS' In village Qaboolpur in the nearby Tando Muhammad Khan district, Naeema Gul, 47, had similar story. Her husband, Gul Bahar, is deaf and mute. They have six children, one of whom has polio. 'We didn't have electricity,' Gul said. 'We used hand fans. It would get extremely hot, and there were always mosquitoes … Now, thank God, we have received solar energy. Earlier, our home used to be in complete darkness. Now we have light.' Gul uses the fan provided with the solar system during peak summer heat, and the LED lights allow her to do embroidery on traditional ralli quilts, colorful patchwork textiles made by rural women in the province. She also uses the light to recite the Holy Qur'an at night. Her disabled son, Gulzar, a fifth grader, has also resumed his studies. 'After receiving the solar panel, I can study and write with ease,' he said. For women like Changi Rind, a widow with 10 children and dozens of grandchildren living in remote Jan Muhammad Jatt village of Sujawal, the biggest relief has been security. 'Previously, thieves used to come, but now, because of the light, they stay away,' she said. 'At night, one person had to stay awake. There was no light in the wilderness, only darkness.' Back in Karo Chan, as night fell, Ghani's returned on his boat with a modest catch, unpacked the system and handed it over to Kulsoom. With a fan whirring in the corner and her children sitting under LED lights, she reflected on how far the community had come: 'Where there was once darkness, solar [system] has brought light to our home and our lives as well.'
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Energy Transition Update - Philippines Offshore Wind Project: A Major Sustainable Energy Leap
Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and ACEN have announced a partnership to develop the first large-scale offshore wind project in the Philippines, located near San Miguel Bay in Camarines Sur. With a potential installed capacity of up to 1 GW, this initiative marks a significant step in harnessing the country's offshore wind resources, aiming to meet growing energy demand with sustainable power. The project, supported by strategic site conditions and a strong local partnership, underscores a commitment to accelerate the energy transition in the Philippines. Currently in its pre-development stage, it awaits regulatory approvals and anticipates participation in the upcoming Department of Energy's Green Energy Auction. In other trading, was a notable mover up 9.6% and finishing the session at HK$11.64. In the meantime, lagged, down 6.3% to finish the session at $64.23. A. O. Smith is leveraging strategic expansion and operational optimizations to potentially enhance profitability despite external pressures. Discover the full narrative on how these initiatives could impact the company's financial future. For more on this topic, don't miss our Market Insights article, "Automakers Caught In The Tariff Crossfire," which explores the intricate challenges faced by automakers amid shifting markets and tariffs. Get in fast before the landscape changes. closed at $156.45 up 0.5%. ended the day at $136.02 down 1.3%, hovering around its 52-week low. This week, Chevron amended its corporate bylaws to allow officer exculpation following stockholder approval. finished trading at $356.90 down 1.7%. Reveal the 156 hidden gems, such as Bharat Heavy Electricals, Wärtsilä Oyj Abp and EMCOR Group, among our Energy Transition Stocks screener with a single click here. Interested In Other Possibilities? We've found 17 US stocks that are forecast to pay a dividend yeild of over 6% next year. See the full list for free. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Sources: Simply Wall St "Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and ACEN to team up on the Philippines' first large-scale offshore wind project" from Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners on GlobeNewswire (published 29 May 2025) Companies discussed in this article include SEHK:412 NasdaqGS:FSLR NYSE:CVX NasdaqGS:TSLA and NYSE:AOS. This article was originally published by Simply Wall St. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Times
22-05-2025
- Business
- Times
GeoPura: how its green hydrogen generators are taking on diesel
Andrew Cunningham has it in for diesel generators. 'No one really knows for sure, but it is estimated that there is a $300 billion installed estate of diesel generators [globally],' says the serial entrepreneur. Developed economies are just as hooked on them as developing ones are, he adds, before anyone says they provide affordable power in poor countries. 'It is pretty horrible,' he says. Fortunately, Cunningham, 61, has spent the last 17 years or so developing an alternative generators that are quiet, reliable, spew out water from their exhausts rather than toxic fumes and are made at the famous Parsons Works in Newcastle, the birthplace of the steam turbine. Fans already include the BBC's Natural History unit, as well as Netflix and Disney. One of
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Company backed by Bill Gates takes massive step toward global energy transformation: 'This is the first of a kind'
Commonwealth Fusion Systems just took a monumental step toward reshaping how the world is powered, and how much that power is going to cost. The Massachusetts-based energy startup, created out of MIT and backed by investors like Bill Gates, recently installed a 75-ton cryostat base at its SPARC fusion reactor site. "This is the first of a kind," CFS shared, highlighting the historic nature of this engineering milestone. Fusion energy is the process of combining atomic nuclei to release massive amounts of energy at once. This is the same process that powers the sun. Unlike harmful dirty energy sources, fusion generates no carbon emissions, no harmful pollution, and uses fuel that is virtually limitless. Switching to fusion energy promises reliable electricity that doesn't depend on the weather like solar energy, and with far fewer raw materials to generate than solar and wind turbines. This implies that harnessing fusion energy will cost significantly less long term. If fusion energy can one day become the norm, it will be a win for everyone. Lower utility bills for families, reduced operating costs for companies, and cleaner air for everyone. Fusion energy's promise of creating no pollution is perhaps its biggest positive. Unlike other energy sources, fusion creates no smoke, smog, or toxic waste. This translates to better environmental health and better human health. Plenty of groups are chasing the goal of fusion energy, but CFS stands out for its real-world progress. The cryostat base installation marks the start of SPARC's physical assembly and will keep the reactor's superconducting magnets at 253 degrees Celsius (487 degrees Fahrenheit). This makes the plasmas hotter than the sun. Should the government continue to give tax incentives for energy-efficient home upgrades? Absolutely No Depends on the upgrade I don't know Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. If SPARC meets its target of net energy gain by 2027, it will be the first tokamak reactor to produce more power than it consumes. In a time where global overheating feels overwhelming, fusion energy offers real hope. This solution could one day tackle emissions, cost, and energy problems all at once. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
