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Pakistan is facing the worst level of energy and economic crisis of its history. The underlying reason of the economic crisis is basically due to the energy crisis. Various approaches have been adopted to tackle the energy crises which the country is facing for over 2 decades. Demand-side management (DSM) is the most potent and cost-effective option to redress the energy crisis, which, unfortunately, has been the most neglected strategy in Pakistan. DSM has the potential to save up to 10.0%-15.0% of primary energy to ensure the country's future energy security. Laws and codes do exist, but ironically, the most vital element of DSM's policy framework and implementation mechanism is missing. Hence, the main objective of this research is to develop a DSM model for Pakistan and analyze the reference and DSM scenarios. Low-emission analysis platform (LEAP) is used to develop Pakistan's DSM model for the study period 2021-2050. The three alternative DSM scenarios developed include energy efficiency (EEF), energy conservation (EC), and load management (LOM), and they are all analyzed. The model results estimate the electricity demand forecast of 1009.8 TWh under the reference scenario in 2050, whereas DSM tends to result in a 26.38% decreased electricity demand compared to the reference scenario. The alternative DSM scenarios also outperform the reference scenario. In 2050, the EC scenario reduces consumption by 178.0 TWh and GHG emissions by 19.20 million metric tons, the EEF scenario reduces consumption by 110.30 TWh and GHG emissions by 10.04 million metric tons, and the LOM scenario suggests reduced consumption by 101.0 TWh and GHG emissions by 6.20 million metric tons. This study concluded that the DSM must be institutionalized in Pakistan by building a robust regulatory framework and execution mechanism at the government and utility levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water scarcity is a global challenge, underscoring the importance of efficient water resource management. Solar stills offer a cost-effective method to convert brackish water into potable water but face productivity limitations. This study aims to enhance solar still productivity through modifications using different fin materials and water depth. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations were employed to evaluate thermal performance across four scenarios: copper and aluminum fins at water depths of 20 mm and 40 mm. Key parameters including temperature distributions, friction volume, and fluid velocity were analyzed for each configuration (MSS-I to MSS-IV). Energy and exergy efficiencies were also assessed. MSS-III, utilizing copper fins at a 20 mm depth, demonstrated the highest daily productivity (8.33 liters) compared to MSS-IV (8.02 liters), MSS-I (7.81 liters), and MSS-II (6.71 liters). Energy efficiencies were highest for MSS-III (60.10%), followed by MSS-IV (57.41%), MSS-I (55.22%), and MSS-II (52.18%). MSS-III also exhibited the highest exergy efficiency (21.50%), with MSS-I (17.15%), MSS-IV (16.43%), and MSS-II (14.12%) following. The study underscores significant improvements in thermal and energy efficiency achieved through specific design modifications of solar stills. MSS-III's higher performance, attributed to the use of copper fins and optimized depth, highlights the critical role of material selection and structural design in enhancing solar still productivity. These findings have important implications for sustainable water resource management, emphasizing the potential of optimized solar still designs to address water scarcity challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pakistan is facing the deepest energy and economic crisis of its history. In fact, the ongoing economic crisis is more or less due to the energy crisis. In spite of this critical situation, Pakistan began from a meager 70 MW installed capacity at the time of the creation of the country and now has raised that capacity to 40,923 MW with a huge transmission network infrastructure based on 58,679 km transmission lines and a consumer base of 36.5 million. Despite this massive progress, there is a continued power deficit, mounting circular debt, and large losses, which all indicate a depleted picture of the power sector. This paper primarily undertakes the diagnosis of these crises and provides a basic assessment of demand-side management as a potential avenue to overcome energy crises. In this context, a detailed overview of the energy and power sectors of Pakistan, including the outdated T&D system, is undertaken. These diagnoses suggest that poor administration, governance, and inappropriate policies have contributed to these crises. In the meantime, efforts to overcome these crises with expensive capacity additions have also failed to address the energy crisis. However, a careful review of the literature and on-the-ground matters indicates that DSM is the most reliable solution. Sectoral DSM potential is estimated. Implementing the proposed measures will help greatly to overcome these crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy demand in Pakistan is escalating owing to the growing population, rapid urbanization, and industrial growth. Therefore, the development and execution of Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EE&C) policies and initiatives are critical for the Government in order to enhance energy efficiency and to address the country's increasing energy demand. In this study, the Low Emission Analysis Platform (LEAP) tool is used to develop and analyze the effects of load control, energy efficiency, and conservation-based measures. Based on the policy analysis and energy consumption patterns, macro-economic modeling has been undertaken using LEAP for the study period 2020-2050. The two scenarios developed are Business-As-Usual (BAU) and Demand-Side-Management (DSM). The model results forecast 1910.2 TWh electricity demand by 2050 under the BAU scenario, with an average annual growth rate of 5.5%, which is eighteen times greater than energy demand in the base year. The sustainable electricity generation path followed under the DSM scenario ensures a lower demand of 1597.5 TWh and an average annual growth rate of 4.5%. This scenario will reduce energy use by 16% compared to the BAU scenario. Therefore, it is proposed that policy may be envisaged using infrastructural and consumer engagement approaches to encourage DSM development in Pakistan. The proposed LEAP model can be used to undertake the supply policy selection and demand assumption for future power production in Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pakistan has been facing energy crises for more than a decade as a result of its reliance on imported fossil fuels, circular debt, political instability, and absurd energy policies. However, the country has abundant renewable energy resources which, if harnessed, may help to effectively cope with ever-increasing energy demand. This review study investigates the country's economic and energy situations, energy crises, and energy sector performance. A critical analysis of studies conducted on Pakistan's energy planning since its independence in 1947 is, and policies announced to date are assessed. This review reveals that the economic situation of the country has remained severely stressed, and energy sector performance has been compromised over the years for various underlying reasons. The energy policy narrative in the early decades of the post-independence period focused on water resource management, whereas energy concerns were only realized in the late 1960s as demand grew. The first-ever energy and power planning study in Pakistan was conducted in 1967, and since then, various studies have been conducted to support the medium-term development plans of the government. These planning studies inspired further development, and in 1994, the first-ever electricity-focused power policy was announced by the government in response to industrial growth and subsequent electricity demand. However, this and subsequent policies were fossil-fuel-centric until 2006, when the government announced the first-ever renewable energy policy. This 2006 policy focused on increasing renewable energy penetration in the overall energy mix by setting specific targets. However, these targets have rarely been accomplished as a result of a lack of an effective planning paradigm, as most of studies have been conducted without sound demand forecasting and without considering renewable energy's potential to meet growing demand. As such, planning efforts based on proven methodologies/modeling tools and the undertaking of demand forecasts and renewable energy assessments are inevitable for countries such as Pakistan. Therefore, we suggest that sectoral energy demand forecasting, estimation of renewable energy potential with end use, and modeling of optimal penetration of renewable energy using energy modeling tools will be helpful to develop sustainable energy policies in Pakistan to eradicate the energy crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]