Date of Submission

Spring 2024

Academic Program

Economics

Project Advisor 1

Aniruddha Mitra

Abstract/Artist's Statement

Abstract

Electricity is essential for both social and economic progress. However, many developing countries struggle with challenges posed by an inadequate energy supply. Like other developing regions, Pakistan's Balochistan province faces a severe electricity crisis, with current demand at approximately 1,650 MW annually. In contrast, the peak load supplied to the province from the national grid has remained at only 500-600 MW. Rural areas of Balochistan, where almost 80% of the population does not have access to an adequate electricity supply, are impacted the most. This critical issue persists because the rural areas are situated at a considerable distance from the national grid and rely significantly on biomass such as firewood, gas, or coal for cooking, lighting, and heating. Therefore, this research paper explores the limited availability of electricity in Pakistan, with a specific focus on the electricity shortage in the rural areas of the Killa Abdullah district, Quetta division, Balochistan. It advocates for the adoption of solar photovoltaic (pv) energy as a feasible solution to alleviate electricity shortages among rural households in Killa Abdullah, noting that the district is the poorest in the province and located far from the national grid. In addition, it emphasizes the significance of legislative changes and the advancement of sustainable energy to address this issue. This paper asserts that integrating solar energy in rural district areas of Killa Abdullah will improve electricity accessibility, stimulate the economy through job creation, and reduce reliance on fossil fuel.

Open Access Agreement

Open Access

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

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