Greentech Lead India: India’s The Energy and
Resources Institute (TERI), in association with LEAD Pakistan, the
Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) Pakistan and the Buksh
Foundation, is organizing a series of events to mark the launch of the “Lighting
a Million Lives” (LaML) campaign in Pakistan on October
12-13, 2012.
The aim of these
initiatives is to create consensus in Pakistan in favor of a
cross-border clean energy movement while at the same time cementing the civil,
political and cultural ties between India and Pakistan.
“India and Pakistan face common problems
such as the lack of energy access for a large part of the population,
particularly in rural areas,” said Dr. R.K. Pachauri, director
general, TERI. “TERI has been at the forefront of solutions in this field. We
are now extending our partnership to Pakistan, particularly with our programof
Lighting a Billion Lives (LaBL). Such initiatives can go a long way in boosting
the peace process between the two countries.”
TERI’s “Lighting a Billion Lives” campaign has
garnered strong support across India, and has been instrumental in
illuminating 382,750 households across the remote interiors of
rural India. Following its successful interventions in Africa, South
Asia and South East Asia, TERI is now focusing on Pakistan with
the launch of “Lighting a Million Lives” initiative.
Through the campaign, TERI intends to facilitate the access
and use of solar lighting devices among Pakistan’s rural communities.
According to an estimate, nearly 2.2 billion liters of
kerosene are used each year for lighting purposes, while about 5.5
million tons of CO2 are emitted to the atmosphere by burning of kerosene.
On the other hand, each solar lantern in its 10-year life replaces about 500-600
liters of kerosene, mitigating about 1.5 tonsof CO2. Since its inception,
TERI has been making a concerted effort towards addressing these critical
issues as well as bringing about innovations to facilitate interventions enable
energy access for all.
In this context, TERI-in collaboration with LEAD Pakistan and
the AEDB, will be hosting a half-day high-level multi-stakeholder Conference
on Energy Access in Islamabad on October 12, 2012.
Featuring Pakistan’s leading policymakers, experts and business leaders, the
conference shall enable opinion leaders from India and Pakistan to
formulate a coordinated strategy to strike the energy-poverty nexus at its
roots.
The institute will also inaugurate a wide range of renewable
technologies and facilities established by its researchers in the Pakistani
Village of Gah – birthplace of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh–on October 13, 2012.
TERI has adopted Village Gah under the aegis of its
‘Lighting a Million Lives’ initiative, which aims at integrating new and
sustainable technologies for elimination of poverty by introducing Renewable
Energy Technologies (RETs)
Ibrahim Hafiz Rehman, director, Social Transformation
Division, TERI, said, “We are essentially providing technical support
to boost energy security in Gah. We have connected several houses through smart
grids and have set up 51 Solar Based Domestic Lighting Systems in the village
since 2006. TERI has also installed 16 solar street lights and two additional
solar water heater systems in Gah. However, for all the cost incurred in this
project, we have received a tremendous amount of goodwill and warmth for our
efforts.”
Marking the culmination of these landmark events, a
benefit concert will also be held in Pakistan’s culture hub, Lahore,
in the evening of October 13, 2012 featuring Dr.Salman Ahmad of
the “Junoon” fame, and the widely popular Indian rock band
“Euphoria” led by Dr. Palash Sen. Bollywood
actor Rahul Bose, who has travelled across Indian villages to muster
support and spread awareness for the LaBL – will also be attending the event as
a special Ambassador of the LaML campaign.