Pakistan aims for energy independence; sugarcane resources a focus

In Pakistan, President Asif Ali Zardari said that it was vital for the country’s economic health to avoid dependence on imported fuel, and said the country should approach measures for energy independence “on a war footing”.

The President remarked at a meeting on “Fuel Ethanol Policy” that oil price volatility highlighted the need to produce alternatives, while cautioning on environmental and food grounds against a headlong rush. Other speakers at the meeting highlighted Pakistan’s sugarcane-producing resources, including abundant land and a warm climate, as a natural for ethanol production.

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