karachi

Posted on 03-11-2008 under electronics, karachi, web crawling

Solar power is seeing increasing amounts of development these days. According to EETimes, the solar industry has seen revenues rise from $10 billion in 2006 to $13 billion in 2007. Cell efficiencies for the experimental varieties are getting to the point that they may be able to compete with fossil fuel generation. It may not be far off in the future when we are free of fossil fuel producers and their control over the international market.

The current market leaders in solar cell production are Japan and Germany. But China is rapidly increasing its output capacity, and it will very quickly overtake Japan, the current lead.

Increasingly, semi-conductor manufacturers are spending R&D budgets on this new, rapidly expanding market. According to John Boyd at EETimes:

We can be sure that almost every large semiconductor manufacturer has a PV program of some sort and is assessing strategies to leverage its manufacturing experience and depreciating assets.

While this is very good news for the environment, it is also good news for power generation. Sufficiently mass-produced and well-researched, this option may be cheap enough for low-income economies like our own.

So what does the future of solar power hold for Pakistan, with our gift of eternal sun. Recently some encouraging actions have been taken by our government.

According to the Business Recorder dated 10th February, 2008:

The government has decided to use solar energy-based lights on all important buildings … “With appropriate energy conservation policy, a minimum saving up to 25 percent in various segments of the energy sector can bring saving of $2 billion per annum.”

And on uniquepakistan.com, dated 24th February, 2008:

City District Government Karachi has decided to use solar energy system as alternate source for electricity at public places in Karach … City Government has invited Expression of Interest (EOI) from Foreign/Local Firms … for providing solar energy system for parks, street lights, on bridges, lamp poles, spotlights, wall mounted lights, landscape lights etc. in Karachi.

In light of the current power situation in Pakistan, and especially Karachi, this is welcome news. It remains to be seen how this plan is actually carried out, since the change in government might just put this on the backburner. I do believe however, that Pakistan is very ripe for solar power, perhaps even to a surplus production capacity. Lets all wait and see.

Posted on 08-29-2007 under admissions, karachi

The US Education Foundation in Pakistan has an event planned in Karachi this year. Most of their functions used to be held in Islamabad at their head office. It seems we Karahiites, are gonna get a piece of the action this time.

Here’s the text of a message (without the fancy editing), I just received from Zarene Malik, the Senior Educational Advisor at USEFP.

Dear Students,

The academic year has come around again and it is time for an entirely new group of students to begin planning for higher education in the United States.

In order to facilitate you and to ensure that you make the best possible decisions for yourself, we will be holding a seminar on Thursday 6th September at 2:30 pm in Karachi. The session will cover both graduate level study and undergraduate study in the United States.

The duration of the seminar will be one hour and will enable you to find and select universities in the US. The seminar will also cover material on the actual application procedure and our advisors will be present to address your individual concerns/queries regarding higher education in the US.

If you wish to attend this seminar on September 6th 2007, please write to us and book your seat. You can also call us at the number given below. Please make sure that you book your seat with your student ID number that has been given by USEFP. There is limited seating available and will be on a first come first served basis.

Please try and attend the seminar so that you are not under pressure of deadlines later in the year. Attendance at this seminar will ensure that your applications to universities are professionally prepared and outstanding in every sense. Early applications also give you a better chance at getting financial aid.

We look forward to hearing from you and in helping you find the right college or university for your interests and skills.

All USEFP services are free of charge. Please bring a photo ID or your passport to be allowed in to the seminar.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Zarene Malik

Senior Educational Advisor

United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan

Telephone:051-2877075-6

www.usefpakistan.org

If you’re looking to apply to US universities for Spring/Fall ‘08, you’d better attend. If you haven’t registered with their advising service, do so now and get your advising number. Seeing as they’re the only ones giving free advice on US universities, its a safe bet this would be a must attend event. Go mark September 6th on your calendar.

Turns out something important did happen today :)

Edit: I’ve just received the address where this seminar will take place.

F-47, Park Lane,

Block No. 5,

KDA Scheme No.5,

Clifton,

Karachi

Important Update: If you do not receive a registration number from USEFP, call their office and ask them about it.

Posted on 08-10-2007 under general, karachi

It rained very heavily yesterday. And what do you get when you cross Karachi with water? Venice sans all the glamor. Follow the links on the images for the full galleries.

Flooded street Driving in the water

As always, electricity’s out. Motors cant run, so water’s out. Sewerage is overflowing. Rain water mixed with sewerage water is threatening to contaminate underground water tanks. Weather’s humid and there’s the outbreak of Malaria everyone’s expecting.

Nothing new for Karachiites though.