Pakistan to Build First Full-Scale Plant Turning Agricultural Waste Into Clean Energy
- UK academics have secured funding to develop Pakistan’s first full-scale facility for converting agricultural waste into clean energy.
- The SAFER PLUS project will transform cotton stalks and sugarcane waste into biofuels.
- The initiative aims to reduce the burning of crop residue, a major contributor to air pollution and seasonal smog in Punjab.
- Around £1.25 million in UK government funding will also support new income opportunities for women involved in collecting and supplying agricultural waste.
Pakistan is set to establish its first full-scale plant designed to convert agricultural waste into clean energy, as UK-based academics secure funding for the project.
The initiative, known as SAFER PLUS, is being led by experts from Northumbria University’s School of Engineering, Physics and Mathematics. The project will use agricultural residues, particularly cotton stalks and sugarcane waste, to produce biofuels.
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Punjab generates millions of tonnes of agricultural waste every year, much of which is burned in fields. This practice contributes to poor air quality and worsens the seasonal smog that affects large parts of the province.
By converting crop residues into usable fuel instead of burning them, the project aims to provide a cleaner method of managing agricultural waste while supporting Pakistan’s transition towards more sustainable energy sources.
The project has received approximately £1.25 million in funding from the UK government. Alongside its environmental and energy goals, the initiative is expected to create economic opportunities for women in Punjab by enabling them to earn income through the collection and supply of agricultural waste needed for the plant.
The planned facility represents a step towards addressing two challenges at the same time — reducing harmful agricultural waste burning and using locally available crop residues to produce cleaner energy.
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