Tag Archives: Karachi

Concept of Microgrid A way to ensure reliable power to industries

on 22/06/2023

The availability of stable & reliable power is the basic necessity for industries that are the backbone of economic growth. Pakistan, with the 5th largest population in the world and with the availability of abundant natural and renewable resources, should have developed its power network for industries much better than where it is today.
Let us share the concept using simple wordings so you can understand it without knowing specific technical terms.
What are the different sources of power available for any small to medium-sized industry in Pakistan?
• National Grid or Utility
• Gas Generator
• Diesel or Heavy Fuel Oil Generator
• Solar
• Wind
• Steam
• Batteries and UPS
The availability, quality, and cost of power to industries through previously listed means vary around the clock. A centralized control system we name “Master control system” or “Micro Grid Control system” is required to ensure that.
• Customer power generation cost is minimal.
• The sensitive & critical equipment gets the most reliable power.
• All power generation equipment is operated according to the manufacturer’s guidelines.
• The customer power factor is maintained according to Grid guidelines.
• In the event of a sudden failure of a big power source, the plant is prevented from a complete blackout.
NATIONAL GRID OR UTILITY
K-Electric is simultaneously a power generation, distribution, and transmission company for the Karachi region. While in the rest of the country, NTDC is responsible for the transmission of power and individual cities have their own distribution companies, like IESCO (Islamabad), MEPC (Multan), LESCO (Lahore), and so on. Customers deal with these distribution companies for the purchase of power.
At what voltage level does the industry get power from the utility company?
AT 132KV LEVEL:
If the customer wants more than 5MW of power then it is provided at 132kV level, which means the customer has to install a 132kV / 11kv Grid station within its premises.
Installation of a Grid requires enormous investment, time, and huge space and therefore it is not suitable for many industries to install a Grid, despite the fact that they need above 5MW of power.
Usually, cement and steel plants do have their own grid stations. However, textile, which is the number one export sector of Pakistan, comprises medium to small size industries and cannot find feasibility for Grid station, the load of the textile unit varies from 1MW to 30MW depending on its size.
AT 11KV LEVEL:
Customers get power at an 11kV level up to 5MW load requirement. Each 132k/11kV Grid station in utility company has many outgoing 11kV feeders and customers can have dedicated 11kV feeders from the Grid station to their industry depending size of its sanctioned load and the availability of separate feeders in the Grid station.
Below is the concept figure for illustration purposes.
AT 400V LEVEL:
Usually, for load requirements up to 500kW or less, power is provided via a 400V line. An outgoing 11kV feeder from the Grid can be used to provide power to multiple customers. Each customer can have a dedicated 11kV/400V transformer at his premises. This is the most unreliable power compared to 132kV & 11kV as it is impacted by all the line faults and other issues in the distribution network.
DISTURBANCE AND FAULTS IN EACH 132KV, 11KV, 400 LEVEL:
When the consumer is getting a 132kV connection, it is going to face minimal disturbance from the Grid Network as a 132kV line is most reliable compared to 400V & 11kV networks. The breakdown of power is rare and only occurs due to a National Level fault.
There is usually a 40MVA or 25MVA, 132kV/11kV transformer in the Grid, and all different 11kV customers are connected to this transformer. When any one customer produces a fault or makes heavy switching, all other customers connected to the same transformer would experience its impact. There are more chances of distribution line faults. Thus, the reliability of the 11kV power is less compared to the 132kV line.
Apart from complete blackout, at all levels, consumers can face momentary loss of voltage for the duration of 100-200msec. In addition, 11kV & 400V consumers can also face fluctuation of voltage for a longer duration.
SOLUTION FOR THE POWER QUALITY ISSUES:
Complete Blackout of Grid Supply:
The only solution is to bring alternate power that could be standby Generators together with Solar.
Fluctuation in Voltage of Grid Supply:
It occurs at 11kV or 400V and a possible remedy is to install an Automatic Voltage Regulator.
Momentary Loss in Voltage / Jerk In Grid Supply:
This is a unique problem. Although according to IEEE standards momentary loss of voltage is accepted as inherent behavior of the National Grid. But customer-sensitive machines with VFDs and other Electronic devices can detect this disturbance and stop working.
The most expensive and most reliable solution is installing a Flywheel or Rotary type UPS or Batteries
There are other issues that can happen in customers’ power quality related to current, and these are mostly caused by their own load, these can be addressed by using Active & Passive Filters and capacitors.
GAS GENERATORS:
During Pakistan Economic boom in the early 2000s, gas was available for Industries to set up in-house power plants. We term this as captive Power Generation. Many industries during that era disconnected Grid connections and completely relied on Gas Generators and use them as their prime power source as the power Generation cost was much cheaper compared to National Grid and it was also reliable and stable compared to National Grid.
Gas Generators are available in the size of 1MW, 1.5MW, 2MW, 2.5MW, 3MW, 4.5MW, etc, Industries may use Gas turbines which can be higher in size from 5M, 7.5MW, 10MW, etc
Gas Generators are the source of self-Generated, reliable, and stable power but Industries may face the following issues:
• How power can be made available when the Gas Engine is down due to maintenance or fault?
• How power can be made available when Gas Engines are not running because of the unavailability of Gas?
• How do cater loads which have a specific characteristic that cannot be served with Industrial Gas Generators?
• How can the industry further improve its power generation cost?
HOW POWER CAN BE MADE AVAILABLE WHEN THE GAS ENGINE IS DOWN DUE TO MAINTENANCE OR FAULT?
The customer may install Diesel Generator which runs as Emergency / Standby Power. Let’s say one customer has a load requirement of 6MW and he has 3 x 2MW Gas generators available, he may install one x 1MW Diesel Generator as an Emergency standby. If one Gas Generator is down, some nonessential load will be out of power, and the remaining will be served through standby Diesel generators.
HOW POWER CAN BE MADE AVAILABLE WHEN THE GAS ENGINES ARE NOT RUNNING BECAUSE OF THE UNAVAILABILITY OF GAS?
Many customers had faced this problem in Pakistan, during the winter season especially, they cannot afford a 100% backup arrangement through Diesel Generators, therefore they need to purchase power from the utility Grid, and they only use Grid power when Gas Generators are not available.
In addition, every customer now prefers to install a Solar plant that can support in the daytime. But Solar systems also need the availability of Grid supply on BUS to deliver its output.
HOW TO CATER LOADS WHICH HAVE A SPECIFIC CHARACTERISTIC THAT CAN NOT BE SERVED WITH INDUSTRIAL GAS GENERATORS?
Every industry does its load analysis and if it is known that expensive Gas Generators can be damaged with a certain non-linear load then the customer brings the Grid Power supply in parallel to the Generators and all those variations are catered by Grid Power.
HOW CAN THE INDUSTRY FURTHER IMPROVES ITS POWER GENERATION COST?
This can be done by an efficient Power Generation Control System, where Grid Supply, Gas Generation, Diesel Generation, and now Solar Power are used in the most optimum combinations where operation cost, maintenance cost, and reliability of the system are ensured. We will discuss more in the later part of this article.
DIESEL OR HEAVY FUEL GENERATORS:
They are mostly used as standby, also in some cases of a complete blackout of the plant, Diesel Generators are used to startup, which is why they are also called black start Generators.
The cost of Generating Power through Diesel or HFO is highest compared to Gas or Utility Grid. However, when Gas is not available and the customer cannot get a Grid connection timely or its process cannot bear fluctuation in Grid power, it would be forced to use Diesel or Heavy Fuel Oil Generators.
How multiple Gas and/or Diesel Generators can run in parallel?
• If the customer has only one Generator sufficient for its entire load then it will run stand-alone to serve the load, the technical term used for this application is ISLAND MODE.
• If the customer has two different sizes of Generators, they should be able to share the load according to their capacity. Example – 2MW & 1MW generators should take up to 1.66MW & 0.83MW load respectively out of a total load requirement of 2.5MW. The technical term used for this application is LOAD SHARING.
• However, if the customer has the same two Generators, where 2MW is brand new and 1MW Generator is old, the customer wishes to utilize maximum power Generation from 2MW Generator as it consumes less fuel giving the same power compared to the 1MW engine. Thus out of the 2.5MW load requirement, the brand new will serve 2MW while the old one would cater 0.5MW. The technical term used for this application is BASE LOAD OPERATION (when one Engine run on fixed power KW output in parallel with other Genset)
• Only the minimum number of Generators should run at a time as per the load requirement. For example – if there are 2MW, 2MW & 1MW generators installed and the load requirement is 2.8MW then one 2MW generator should remain OFF. While if the load requirement is 3.5MW then a 1MW generator should remain on standby, the technical term used for this application is LOAD SENSE / LOAD DEMAND MANAGEMENT.
SOLAR POWER
Now, every industry is putting solar power at least to cover 15-20% of the load demand. Although the capital cost of Solar power is much higher than Gas or Diesel Generators. However, its operation cost is almost zero compared to the Gas Generators and the life cycle is much more than Gas or Diesel Generators.
Since solar power is mostly available in the daytime, for a maximum of 8 hours, it is used as a means to reduce overall power Generation Operation costs. However, the customer may continue to require other constant power sources like Gas Generators & Grid to have power available round the clock.
These industrial scale Solar systems are ON Grid type that requires LIVE Energized BUS (either through Grid or Generator) to deliver their power.
It is possible to consume 100% solar output when running with the Grid. Excess power can be exported to National Grid via Net Metering however when Solar is running with only Generators, its output needs to be curtailed according to the loading of Generators which should be more than 30% according to manufacturers’ recommendation.
It is also possible to connect solar power both with Generators & the Grid simultaneously. The figure below shows a typical example of Solar, Grid, and Generators connected together.
WIND POWER:
The wind is another source of Power that is not common as solar used by every industry and is more restricted to the two wind corridors of Dhabeji and Jhimpir Sindh. Most of the wind power plants are used as IPPs for selling power to National Grid. However, some industries do have wind power available for their own use with a mix of other sources of power discussed above.
BATTERY / FLYWHEEL UPS:
Some customers who are running their Gas / Diesel Generators in parallel with the Grid may face a short-term jerk of power from the Grid end. This causes a rate of change of frequency & Vector Jump protection is activated in accordance with the Generator manufacturer’s safety recommendations.
Grid breaker is instantly isolated from the system and if the Generators are not capable enough to bear the extra load then the complete plant can be shut down. In order to avoid a complete blackout. The Central Control system activates load shedding and this will isolate non-critical load to prevent the overloading of Generators.
However, if the customer cannot afford to disconnect power to its load even for a short duration then it has to arrange some backup via flywheel UPS or batteries.
Fly Wheel UPS is an old and expensive solution that can provide back up to 10MW for 10sec while Battery backup for such a high load is possible but not common. And the technology is constantly evaluating and its price is reducing with time.
MICROGRID:
If you have read the article up till now, you would have ample understanding of different sources of power available with any industry, now we understand the concept of Mirco Grid and Central Controlling of different sources of power available with the industry.
HOW DOES THE INDUSTRY MICROGRID UTILIZE THE NATIONAL GRID IN THE PRESENCE OF OTHER AVAILABLE SOURCES OF POWER?
A Mirco Grid can connect or disconnect with National Grid. It is important to note that we cannot vary the parameters of the National Grid Power and we can only give commands to other sources of power (Generators, Solar, wind, etc) to adjust its parameters according to National Grid.
MICROGRID SOLUTION OFFERED BY ENERCON SYSTEMS:
Enercon micro-grid control solution is the answer to all the above-discussed issues.
As we have learned National Grid has interruption problems. Gas is infrequently available while solar only works for 10 hrs. So every industry must-have mix of different power sources available at its disposal.
Enercon Micro-grid control ensures that the customer can run parallel and switch between the National grid, solar, generator, wind, HFO, and any other source of power as and when required considering reliability, availability, and cost factors.
Solar being renewable and green energy must be fully consumed first and other sources of power can be utilized in parallel with it. During the nighttime, other sources of power are to be used according to their cost & availability.
The micro-grid solution being offered by Enercon systems is special in the way that it is designed and integrated with full flexibility of different manufacturers’ specifications and brands for solar inverters, Generators, wind turbine inverters, etc.
Enercon micro-grid control is compatible with different communication protocols and third-party devices for easy access to information at local and remote locations.
Our objective is to achieve generation cost optimization, reduce production downtime and ensure the Mico-grid system is implemented with minimum possible modification in the existing system or implementation of the new system with future expansion and customization provision.

NESPAK Wins Energy Sector Project in Bahrain

on 22/06/2023

LAHORE: NESPAK, a leading engineering consultancy firm, has been awarded a prestigious project in Bahrain. The project involves conducting the annual performance test of the Al Dur-II Integrated Water and Power Plant, which has a capacity of 1500 MW. The announcement was made by Dr. Tahir Masood, Managing Director NESPAK, on Tuesday.
NESPAK’s scope of services includes the conduct of an annual performance test for the Al-Dur-II plant, which was commissioned in 2022. The duration of the project is two months, and the client for this project is NOMAC, a global operations and maintenance service provider for the energy sector.
Dr. Masood highlighted that this project is a testament to NESPAK’s expertise and capability in providing top-notch engineering consultancy services in the power sector. NESPAK is committed to delivering the services on time and with the highest quality standards. This project will pave the way for further opportunities for NESPAK in the global market, as the company remains dedicated to delivering excellence in all its endeavors.
NESPAK has an impressive track record of providing engineering consultancy services to major infrastructure projects in Pakistan and abroad. The firm’s experience and expertise in the power sector are widely recognized, and the Al-Dur-II project is a significant milestone for the company.
The award of the project to NESPAK reflects the company’s commitment to delivering high-quality engineering consultancy services to its clients. The Al-Dur-II project is set to further enhance NESPAK’s reputation and provide a strong foundation for future growth in the global market.

Gwadar turns less power-deficient city

on 22/06/2023

Balochistan’s port city of Gwadar is now less power-deficient in practical terms after the 100MW Iran-Gwadar power transmission project.
Abdul Aziz Uqaili, the Chief Secretary of Balochistan and an engineer too said last month that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would inaugurate the 100MW Iran-Gwadar power transmission project during his visit to Balochistan which was due by writing this report.
Uqaili who was there for a high-level meeting to review the ongoing uplift projects in Gwadar said under the power transmission project, Gwadar will get 100 megawatts of electricity from Iran.
National Dispatch Company (NDC), Quetta Electric Supply Company (QESC), Gwadar Port Authority (GPA), Gwadar Development Authority (GDA), China Overseas Port Holding Company, and the departments concede with the project have completed their preparations.
The project was complete and what was left was the unveiling of the project that the prime minister was to do. The electricity supply to Gwadar will be formally started.
During his visit, the PM will also open the project of the first cross-stuffing facility at Gwadar Port, dredging at Gwadar Port. Besides, distribution of boat engine checks to the deserving fishermen of Gwadar will also be done,” he said.
The chief secretary reportedly stressed that the incumbent government was committed to the development of the coastal belt of Balochistan and through various uplift projects launched in the province, trying to benefit the local people of Balochistan.
“The implementation of all these projects is part of the vision of the PM Pakistan for Balochistan,” he emphasized.
Moreover, he was briefed about the administrative structure of the Gwadar district, its historical importance, and ongoing development projects by the federal and provincial governments.
Gwadar power woes are likely to be addressed by the end of this year after the completion of the 300 megawatts (MW) coal-fired power plant.
The 300MW coal-fired Gwadar Power Plant would cater needs of some 150,000 local people by the end of 2023 under the 2050 Master Plan of Gwadar.
The power plant of an independent power producer was one of the key energy projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), he added.
The project aimed at improving the reliability of the local power supply which would help gradually solve the problems in current economic development and urban construction in the Gwadar region, which is being restricted by the shortage of power.
All major projects under CPEC in Gwadar, including Gwadar Power Plant, the New Gwadar International Airport Project, the China Pak Friendship Hospital, China-Pak Technical and Vocational Institute in Gwadar, the Gwadar East-bay Expressway Project, Gwadar Free Zone, and Gwadar Port need energy.
Makran division of Balochistan depends on Iranian power for a long. Pakistan signed with Iran agreement in 2003 under which Iran had to daily supply 35 megawatts to Balochistan’s coastal belt.
In 2011, the agreement was extended, and Iran was asked to increase the capacity to 70 megawatts.
Five years later, when construction work in the deep-sea port of Gwadar gained momentum, 30 megawatts were added to the power supply and Iran has since been selling 100 megawatts to Pakistan to light up its coastal areas.
“Power shortfalls in Iran have led to load shedding in Gwadar, Turbat, and Makraan regions. These areas are not connected to the national grid and are dependant upon the Iranian power supply.

Is Islamabad not reaping the benefits of AER in Sindh?

on 22/06/2023

Islamabad’s competitive bidding process for renewable power projects—wind and solar—under category three has surprised Sindh’s Energy Department because only one project from a series of its ready projects has been picked up for the bidding.  Since its 1875 MW wind and 1400 MW solar power generation projects are ready, Sindh feels the federal government is unable to tap the benefits for the country which it believes cannot afford expensive energy in the wake of the current national fiscal situation.   In a letter to Khurram Dastagir, the Federal Minister for Energy, Imtiaz Shaikh, Sindh Minister for Energy writes that “the AEDB has picked and chosen 22 wind and 27 solar power projects from the list without mentioning any criteria. It is also surprising that only one solar project from 25 solar projects of the Government of Sindh has been chosen for competitive bidding.”  The letter invites the attention of Mr. Dastagir on the AEDB’s recently issued letter No.B/3/1CBwind/17 dated 16th January in which AEDB has referred CCOE decision dated 4th April 2019 and CCl approved ARE Policy 2019 wherein category-Ill projects are allowed to go ahead, subject to be successful in the competitive bidding process to be undertaken by AEDB for each technology based on (i) the quantum ascertained by the IGCEP and (ii) confirmation of the interconnection ready zones (IRZs) by NTDCL. The IGCEP 2021 approved by NEPRA allocated a quantum of 1000 MW each for the induction of wind power capacity through competitive bidding by the year 2024. The category-Ill includes thirty-one (31) wind projects with a cumulative capacity of 2139 MW and sixty-nine (69) solar PV projects of 4193 MW. The AEDB has picked and chosen 22 wind and 27 solar power projects from the list without mentioning any criteria. It is also surprising that only one solar project from 25 solar projects of GOS has been chosen for competitive bidding.Furthermore; instead of taking a quantum of 1000 MW each for induction from which wind and solar as approved IGCEP 2021, only 322 MW capacity from wind and 392 MW capacity from solar has been proposed for procurement in upcoming competitive bidding without mentioning any clear criteria.It is an injustice that only a meager capacity is proposed to be procured from clean, cheap, and affordable energy resources which is one of the core initiatives of the current government to replace the expensive fuel plants.The letter writes that there is huge potential for Alternative and Renewable Energy Resources in Sindh Province. The Sindh government initiated 29 wind projects with a cumulative capacity of 1875 MW and 25 solar projects with a cumulative capacity of 1400 MW under category-Ill are waiting for competitive bidding for many years.Mentioning Variable RE locational study conducted by World Bank, the letter writes only minor upgradation or reinforcement and enhancement of transmission and distribution network in Sindh province will enable to evacuate 6,765 MW till 2025 and a further 10,035 MW till 2030 from wind and solar projects.Shaikh has written that it will be an injustice to Sindh province for ignoring its projects despite having huge potential and large numbers of valid LOIs holders in this competitive bidding. He has requested that a complete quantum of 1000 MW each for wind & solar projects as approved in IGCEP of 2021 may be considered for bidding and all wind and solar projects of GOS may be included for fair competition. I hope that our request will be considered and cheap and clean energy will be procured for the betterment of the country.

Program launched to train 3,000 undergraduates in Sindh

on 22/06/2023

Hazza Institute of Technology (HIT) and Sindh’s Information Science & Technology Department (ISTD) have committed to training 3,000 undergraduates under the IT Industry-academia bridge program in Sindh.
ISTD and HIT signed an agreement to launch the IT Industry-academia bridge program this month. The signing ceremony was attended by Ms. Tanzila Ume Habiba, the Special Assistant to the Chief Minister of Sindh on ISTD, Secretary, Mr. Asif Ikram, and HIT Managing Director, Azhar Iqbal Sindhu.
HIT is a joint project of the Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training, Government of Pakistan under a Public-Private-Partnership program that aims to provide Vocational, Technical & Professional Education and Training, Skills Development, Career Counseling, and Job Placement to the citizens of Pakistan to enable them to earn their respectful livelihoods and alleviate poverty in Pakistan.
The IT Industry-academia bridge program is a collaborative effort between the ISTD, Sindh, and HIT to bridge the gap between academia and industry in the field of IT in Sindh.
The program aims to provide practical industry exposure and hands-on training to 3000 students in their 6th, 7th, and 8th semesters from public and private sector universities, in order to equip them with real-world experience and prepare them for the challenges of the IT industry.
The ISTD, Sindh, and HIT will work together to ensure the success of the program and create a talent pool equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to drive innovation and growth in the IT sector.
Highlighting the importance of the initiative in Sindh, Ms. Tanzila Ume Habiba appreciated the efforts of HIT and the ISTD, Sindh for collaborating to launch this program.
Mr. Asif Ikram highlighted the role of IT skillsets in the economic growth of the country. He said that focusing on Human Capital development by investing in youth will bring a drastic change in the job scenario of the country. And, IT is the only sector that could bring forex inflow to the country. A country with more than 60% demographic balance in the favour of youth may result in economic stability, if the youth is trained in the IT field. ‘Academia-Industry Bridge Program will fetch more job opportunities for the youth onshore as well as offshore.’ He expressed his commitment to continue with such kind of training programs in the future.
The agreement ceremony was a significant step towards achieving the goal of bridging the gap between academia and industry in the IT sector, he said.
It demonstrated the commitment of the ISTD, Sindh, and HIT to create a conducive environment for the growth of the IT industry in the region.
The purpose of this linkage is to identify important academia-industry bridge activities that can stimulate the likelihood of employability among students. We continue to invest with the goal of providing Vocational, Technical & Professional Training, Skills Development, Career Counseling, and Job Placement to the residents of Sindh to enable them to earn their respectful livelihoods and alleviate poverty in Sindh.
HIT Managing Director, Azhar Iqbal Sindhu, expressed his enthusiasm for the program stating it is a significant milestone in the company’s efforts to contribute to the development of the IT industry in Sindh.
Bridging the gap between the IT industry and academia is crucial for the development and growth of the industry, says a press release. The industry needs a workforce that is equipped with the latest skills and knowledge to meet the constantly evolving demands of the market.
The efforts of ISTD and HIT will create a talent pool, equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to drive innovation and growth in the IT sector.