Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi (PMAS-AAUR) and Netline Pvt. Ltd. Karachi have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) under which the said company will install 1.2 MW (Phase-I) up to 2.5 MW grid-tied solar energy generation to set up the solar power plant at university’s main campus.
Through this intervention, 30-40% electricity will be saved and will also be helpful to provide renewable energy based cost-effective solutions to PMAS-AAUR through solar energy for sustainable growth and future.
Solarization is the initiative of the Government of the Punjab for saving ample energy and also the part of Clean & Green Pakistan movement under the direction of prime minister of Pakistan.
M/S Netline Pvt. Ltd. Karachi was the lowest bidder and the contract under the bid rate was Pak Rs. 13.91 Per kWh for the debt period of ten (10) years and Pak Rs. 12.00 Per kWh for the post debt period of fifteen (15) years for installation of 1.2 MW solar setup by using the rooftop of university under the power purchase agreement for 25 years.
Under the MoU, not a single penny will be incurred by the university for installation of solar energy generation setup while excess electricity if generated by the company will be compensated/adjusted by IESCO through the net metering facility extended by the government of Pakistan. The repair and maintenance of the solar setup for 25 year will be the sheer responsibility of the M/S Netline PVT. Ltd.
PMAS-AAUR Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Qamar uz Zaman said Pakistan is seriously facing a demand and supply gap in the electricity sector and there is dire need to promote a culture of solarization for alternative energy. He appreciated the efforts of faculty, administration particularly Director Planning & Development Shahid Ali Khan and its team regarding the solarization of the main campus.
The vice chancellor said that the university has taken an initiative to completely shift over the solar energy source by the end of year 2021 and hoped that PMAS-AAUR will get benefits by shifting to the solar power system.
Registrar PMAS-AAUR Aqeel Sultan and CEO Netline Pvt. Ltd Engr Iqbal Zavary signed MoU on behalf of their respective organizations.
It may be recalled that tender for grid-tied solar system of up to 2.5 MW on rooftops, through private investment on an ESCO model was advertised in the national press to invite the technically sound solar companies for solarization by using roof-tops of the university under the power purchase agreement. The Punjab Energy Efficiency Conservation Agency (PEECA) provided standard documents for pre-qualification and RFP to proceed further.
