wiredInUSA July 2016

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wiredInUSA - July 2016 33 ASIA / AFRICA NEWS
A report issued by the Abu Dhabi-based
International Renewable Energy Agency
(IRENA) suggests that average costs for
electricity generated by solar and wind
technologies could decrease by between
26 percent and 59 percent by 2025.
The report, “The power to change: solar
and wind cost reduction potential to
2025”, finds that with the right regulatory
and policy frameworks in place, solar and
wind technologies could continue to see
cost reductions beyond 2025.
It estimates that, by 2025, average
electricitycosts coulddecrease59percent
for solar photovoltaic, 35 percent for
offshore wind, and 26 percent for onshore
wind, compared to 2015. Electricity prices
for concentrated solar power could
also decrease as much as 43 percent,
depending on the technology. By 2025,
the global average cost of electricity from
solar PV and onshore wind will be roughly
five to six US cents per kilowatt hour.
“We have already seen dramatic cost
decreases in solar and wind [energy] in
recent years and this report shows that
prices will continue to drop, thanks to
different technology and market drivers,”
said IRENA director-general Adnan Z Amin.
Price falls forecast
Pakistan’s ministry of water and power
announced the achievement of a
milestone when the total electricity
generation reached a record 17,272MW
for the first time in the country’s history.
It included 6,080MW generated
through hydroelectricity sources, while
independent power producers and
generating companies contributed
11,192MW.
The power peak, recorded on 18th June,
had quickly followed the previous highest
recorded generation of 17,120MW on 8th
June.
On 18th June, at the timeof the Iftar evening
meal, around 98 percent of urban areas
and over 90 percent of rural areas were
provided with power.
A government press release stated that
with a large number of power generation
and transmission projects under
construction, the country should see an
end to power load shedding by 2018.
Peak power?