Pakistan is about to get eight new wind farms to help fight power outages. Siemens Gamesa has secured the series of orders, totaling 410 MW. The central Asian country has rigorously been building out electricity generating capacity.
Partnering with an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor, Siemens Gamesa will supply, install, and commission a total of 205 units of Siemens Gamesa 2.X turbines for eight projects with a combined capacity of 410 MW. Of the eight wind farms package, two projects have already started construction, with commissioning expected in November 2020 and February 2021, respectively.
When fully operational at the end of 2021, these eight wind farms will generate enough electricity to cover the annual needs of up to 600,000 local households with clean and affordable electricity, significantly alleviating the power shortage in Pakistan where 40 million residents have no access to electricity supply.
As a country heavily reliant on imported natural gas and oil for power generation, Pakistan is now promoting renewable sources with a focus on wind and solar, which are now the cheapest sources of power in the country. The Pakistani government aims to boost modern renewable energy in its energy mix to 30% by 2030.
Enrique Pedrosa, chief regions officer of Siemens Gamesa’s onshore business unit, said, “Renewables are at the center of the global energy transition and will play an essential role in economic recovery post COVID-19. We’re well positioned and committed to bringing more sustainable and affordable clean energy for generations to come in Pakistan.
Siemens Gamesa signed its first project in Pakistan (50 MW) three years ago. On the offshore side, Siemens Gamesa completed the installation of Taiwan’s first offshore wind power project in 2019 (128 MW) and in addition reached close to 2 GW of firm orders in the island.
