Pakistan’s first biomass plant operational

Pakistan’s first biomass energy demonstration facility is now operating in Sajawal, Sindh, according to Dawn. The site is in Pinnah Reserved Forest and was inaugurated jointly by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Sindh government. It is intended to show how woody biomass can be used for energy while supporting rural livelihoods and reducing pressure on forests and greenhouse gas emissions.

The plant is the first of four planned demonstration locations under the UNDP-led PASBET initiative, delivered with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination. Funded by the Global Environment Facility, the five-year project has a budget of $3.5 million and covers Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan and KP. UNDP says activities at Pinnah include making fuel pellets from forest and agricultural residues, community nurseries and efficient cook-stoves, linking forest management with local livelihood opportunities.