Energy Crisis

The creation of Pakistan does not seem to be as big a miracle as its survival and persistance for the past 60 years. With ever increasing predicaments, from wars to dissection into two pieces, from military coups to assassinations of democratic leaders, from mishandling of the juidiciary to the suicide bombings, the world is talking of the splitting of Pakistan yet again. Energy crisis is just one big problems the nation is facing today caused by a wide gap between the energy demand and supply. Adding to the flour crisis, there has been a threat to many other industries getting shut down.
The biggest contributor to the energy production all over the world is coal (average upto 40 per cent). China produces 75 to 80 per cent of its energy from coal while India produces 55 per cent, US 50 per cent, Germany 48 per cent, Australia 45 and UK 35 per cent.
According to Geological Survey Of Pakistan (GSP) the total coal reserves in Pakistan are estimated to be around 185 billion tonnes out of which 175bn tonnes are in Thar desert. These reserves according to the survey are enough to meet the energy demands for hundreds of years. Very surprisingly Pakistan produces only 0.7 per cent of its total energy from coal. Not only that, the cost of energy production from coal is far less than that of gas. Rs 2.4/kWh from gas as compared to Rs 1.3/kWh from coal. This apparently little difference could save billions of rupees.
I hope our policy makers besides saving their seats realise that this whole crisis is self created and we have a big stock of energy lying in our own backyard.