Today, GE signed a new agreement with the Government of Pakistan that aims to help the country of over 180 million people modernize in critical areas such as water, energy and transportation. Pakistan today produces about 20,000 megawatts of power each year — but that need is likely to nearly triple by 2020 when the country’s energy demand is expected to increase to 54,000 megawatts annually. As a result, Pakistan is eyeing a range of diverse power generation sources — from renewables like wind and solar to conventional gas and steam turbine-driven systems. Today’s agreement is what’s known as a Memorandum of Understanding, or M.O.U., and is similar to ones that have been reached with other governments around the world including Kazakhstan, Nigeria, and the Province of Ontario, Canada.
Mod squad: “There are huge synergies between the products and services GE businesses provide in energy and infrastructure and the needs and goals of Pakistan to modernize its economy with cleaner, more efficient and better infrastructure technologies,” says Nani Beccalli-Falco, President and Chief Executive Officer of GE International. “General Electric is helping build the energy, water, transportation and technology infrastructure of the new century.” Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city and main seaport and financial center, is pictured above.Pakistan is also exploring renewable energy sources such as geothermal, biomass, and hydro-electric power for its modernization projects. In conventional power generation, the government is also looking to rehabilitate existing power generation facilities. At the same time, the country is pursuing a transportation development plan that aims for more efficient and environmentally sound rail systems — and a water program that ranges from purification and reuse to wastewater treatment.
As part of the agreement, GE is not only exploring technology solutions, but it is also working to identify potential sources of funding as well as potential investment opportunities.
GE is no stranger to Pakistan, having operated in the country since its formation. GE is also involved with the country’s ambitious National Clean Water Initiative, which will use GE ultrafiltration systems at over a thousand distribution sites. The initiative is expected to improve the lives of over one million people by providing them with access to treated water that meets World Health Organization standards. And Pakistan’s first renewable energy project to use sugarcane-waste biogas created from the production of ethanol is powered by eight of GE Energy’s ecomagination Jenbacher biogas engines. It’s designed to generate enough power to support more than 50,000 homes in Pakistan.
* Read today’s announcement
* Read the Associated Press of Pakistan’s coverage
* Read about GE’s current work with Nigeria on GE Reports
* Read “GE & Kazakhstan ink major rail service & plant deals” on GE Reports