PAGE Blog Business Weekly Magazine
Interview with Mr Amir ul Ebad Khan – CEO, Raas Systems Inc
Profile
Professional Profile
– Over twenty years of engineering experience in Energy & Environment Management
– Responsible for implementing and monitoring strategies to improve Energy Mix and Energy Management within Environment & Cost Constrains
– Successfully completed projects for Alternate Energy, Stand-alone units as well as Tie-Grid projects
– In-depth knowledge of Energy Audit & Management
– Well informed with Kyoto Protocol & CDM Certification
– Detail knowledge & experience of Echo Industrial Development
Professional Qualification
– M.S Leading to Ph.D (Energy &Environment) in progress
– Master of Business Administration (Project Management) USA
– Bachelor of Engineering (Industrial)
Certification & Training
– Energy Audit, USA
– Going Green with Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, USA
– Advance Project Management (Primavera 5.0 & MS Project)
– ASQ Quality Assurance Certificate, Canada
– ISO-9000 QS-9000,AS-9100, QMS Implementing & System Development
– ISO-14000 Internal Audit Training , EMS Implementation & Development
– Statistical Process & Control (SPC)
– Health & Safety Training
PAGE: Your views on the energy mix as well as potential of coal and renewable in Pakistan:
AMIR UL EBAD KHAN: Pakistan’s energy mix is heavily tilted towards thermal and the country is making 35.2 percent of the total electricity from oil. According to a report published by the International Energy Agency, 38 percent of the Pakistan’s population remains without access to electricity (IEA, 2011). Fifty four per cent of the rural population currently has no access to electricity, forcing them to live a sub-standard life of poverty and social inequity. Coal and renewable energy sources like wind or solar has a potential that can be tapped immediately to overcome the current energy crises and warrants energy security.
Pakistan’s coal reserves in Thar can be a milestone if handled properly with great care, otherwise it will open another debate of environmental pollution. Right now, most of the nations are switching from coal to renewable resources and are developing their skills in this field. We are technology wise far behind them. It is time to gear up our academia and research centers to overcome this shortage of skilled manpower. Pakistan’s solar radiant level is between 5.8 to 6 which is max, and the wind corridor has potential of more than 200,000 megawatt. Solar has the same potential. Our energy mix mainly depends on oil, natural gas and hydel. This is time to revise our energy mix and make it more dynamic and realistic.
PAGE: How would you comment on the progress of Thar coal?
AMIR UL EBAD KHAN: Thar coal is a long standing issue. Government policy is changing with time. If we want to go for Thar coal, we must make concrete decision and go for it. Again we are short of skills and professionals for coal to energy sector. For last 30-40 years not a single watt has been generated.
PAGE: Your views on investment in energy sector:
AMIR UL EBAD KHAN: This is the time that government should give an open door policy for energy sector investment. More preference should be given to local investors for long term and sustainable development, technology transfer and indigenous research should be encouraged from local engineers.
PAGE: Do we have skilled energy managers in our country?
AMIR UL EBAD KHAN: We need to develop proper energy mix based on need analysis basis and developed by energy managers. Energy audit shall be done at all levels and energy SOP/standards should be in place in order to eliminate the wastage or theft of energy. Our line losses are more than 60 percent. Government should put focus on energy management, smart grids and conservation. Saving of single watt is much easier than generation of one watt. Pakistan needs good energy managers. Energy management and development authority should be autonomous and free from political pressure and work on both long term and short term policies.
PAGE: Your views on the quality of Thar coal:
AMIR UL EBAD KHAN: Quality of Thar coal is good for electricity generation but we have missed the train. These reserves were discovered in late 80s. The question is now after Kyoto and France conference and under the threat of global warming and natural disasters will the rest of the world allow us to explore this expired treasure?
