Rana Irfan Rafi
Pakistan has been facing issues for several years due to the increasing demand and shortage of electricity. Whether it is domestic consumers or industrialists, everyone is worried. The primary reason is the old power plants, which cannot meet the electricity shortfall, nor do they have the capacity to generate sufficient electricity. The growing population and rapidly developing industries that consume a lot of electricity, along with poor infrastructure and technical issues affecting generation and transmission, result in inadequate electricity supply. This means that the electricity being generated is not reaching domestic consumers, institutions, and industries effectively. Due to unreliable electricity transmission, domestic consumers are shifting to solar systems. The government is also providing relief to domestic consumers in transitioning to solar systems. The current Punjab government has officially launched a scheme for this purpose, while industrialists and factories have to resort to expensive and heavy generators due to poor electricity transmission.
This also increases air pollution, and on the other hand, the high cost of production forces industrialists to sell everyday items at higher prices, leading to inflation. Although the government is trying to fulfil the demand by purchasing expensive electricity from transmission companies, this costly process is affecting not only domestic consumers but also industrialists. There is a need to find a solution to this problem. Alongside solar systems, other methods should be adopted to produce low-cost electricity for the long term. One very effective method of electricity generation that is efficient for Pakistan A very useful method for electricity generation that could be effective in Pakistan is the piezoelectric system, which is a way to generate electricity through vibrations. This produces energy in the form of kinetic energy and is converted into electricity. It is converted. The need is to determine how and where this process can be installed in Pakistan to generate free electricity. The best source for this is traffic. There are many motorways and highways in Pakistan where there is a high flow of traffic. By installing the piezoelectric system on such busy roads and thoroughfares, free electricity can be generated. This practical system can also power road lights, traffic signals, and local grids. The busiest market sidewalks in urban areas can also utilize this method. In buildings where there is a lot of public movement, electricity can also be generated from the vibrations of footsteps. This technology can also be installed in factories and mills where the vibrations from heavy machines can produce electricity. The equipment is installed at public transport stations. Commercial complexes can take advantage of this. Although this project faces many challenges, especially regarding its cost. High-quality materials and security will require hiring many people. It will be necessary to import and install the equipment, maintain it, and operate this system; technical expertise will be needed, along with extensive training for many individuals. Furthermore, to install this system, roads and thoroughfares will need to be rectified accordingly, and supply needs to be considered as well. Then, the generated electricity must be stored properly.
Start trial implementations at an EV charging station or in busy streets or city centers to test the feasibility and benefits of energy harvesting through piezoelectric sensors. Prepare public awareness on smart infrastructure and renewable energy utilities and elicit public goodwill to the cause.
Establish adequate project monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to trace progress and results for projects so that defined policies can be formulated later on. Prepare a comprehensive strategy for the use of smart technologies, including piezoelectric energy harvesting, within the infrastructure of Pakistan.
Form an integrated task force between the ministries of transport, energy, urban planning, and IT to enhance and merge the respective processes for planning and implementation. Create financing incentives, comprised of tax relief and direct investments, to local governments and companies using municipal piezoelectric devices.
These partnerships will be between public institutions and private companies to co-share the costs and risks for the pilot and subsequent large-scale projects and act as a lever for the additional funding from international sources.
Beet shifted international aid and green technology finances into the development research and initial implementation funding. It should also create and distribute specialized courses in smart infrastructure and renewable energy with universities and vocational colleges. Aid local institutions and small businesses willing to innovate or adapt piezoelectric devices to local conditions with grants.
Foster collaboration with international professionals and firms to introduce modern knowledge and technology, while, however, local solutions emerge creatively and sustainably.
Pakistani applications will decrease the reliance on standard energy requirements and lower greenhouse gas emissions, creating both safety in public spaces and operational efficiency through energy collection from everyday traffic.
Implementation successes will hopefully provide a trigger for much smarter infrastructure initiatives all across the country. Proper directions and full cooperation from the public and private sectors would put Pakistan at the forefront of sustainable innovation within South Asia.
The author is associated with SDPI (Sustainable Development Policy Institute) as project assistant and can be contacted at irfanrafi@sdpi.org tweeter@ranaskt11
