“The depletion of oil and natural gas reserves, especially in Pakistan, will reduce energy security sustainability in the region, although coal reserves both in Pakistan and India will still be substantial in 2035″, calculates a new working paper released by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
In South Asia, the energy security sustainability in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will decrease through in Bhutan and Nepal, it will remain almost unchanged since hydro and biomass waste will still be the main contributors to their energy systems in 2035.
There will be significant improvements in affordability of energy for Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in South Asia, says the working paper.
It said the oil-based power generation in Pakistan will be replaced by gas (from 30 per cent in 2010 to 43pc) and hydro (from 29pc in 2010 to 29.8pc) by 2035 in exchange for coal that will contribute 47.3pc of power generation.