Title: Energizing Sustainability: Conservation Initiatives Across Pakistan’s Industrial Sectors

Abstract:

This presentation delves into the heart of Pakistan’s industrial landscape, examining the pivotal energy conservation and sustainability initiatives reshaping major sectors such as textiles, agriculture, manufacturing, and renewable energy. Amidst growing environmental concerns and the global push towards sustainability, Pakistan has embarked on a transformative journey to integrate energy-efficient practices and green technologies across its industrial spectrum.
The textile industry, being the backbone of Pakistan’s economy, has seen substantial investment in water recycling and energy-efficient machinery, reducing carbon footprints and enhancing competitiveness on a global scale. Similarly, the agricultural sector, a significant consumer of water and energy, is witnessing a revolution through the adoption of solar-powered irrigation systems and precision farming techniques, aiming to conserve resources and boost productivity.
In the manufacturing realm, the shift towards cleaner production processes and the implementation of energy management systems exemplify the sector’s commitment to environmental stewardship and operational efficiency. Moreover, the burgeoning renewable energy sector stands as a testament to Pakistan’s dedication to diversifying its energy mix, with solar and wind energy projects gaining momentum, driven by both governmental incentives and private investments.
This talk will highlight the successes, challenges, and future prospects of energy conservation and sustainability initiatives within these industrial sectors. By showcasing innovative projects and policy measures, it aims to underscore the importance of collaborative efforts between the government, industry stakeholders, and the community in achieving a sustainable and energy-efficient future for Pakistan. Through this exploration, we illuminate the path towards not only national resilience and economic growth but also a sustainable legacy for generations to come.

Biography:

Sheraz is an Associate Professor in the Institute of Chemical Engineering and Technology at the University of the Punjab and brings over 18 years of experience while working in industry and academia. He has responsibilities to teach and facilitate research at the graduate, postgraduate and post-doctorate levels. He is also an active reviewer for the research projects submitted to various international funding agencies alongside peer-reviewing International journals. Sheraz has received national and international recognition awards for his research and academic contribution to the University of the Punjab (PK), University of Leeds (UK) and University of Sheffield (UK). His research interests include generation of fundamental and pilot-scale research data in the field of renewable engineering, catalysis, thermo-chemical metal corrosion, carbon capture and utilisation, emission reduction, chemical reaction engineering, liquid-liquid extraction and waste to heat/power generation. Investigation interests also include troubleshooting of process-based engineering anomalies related to additive based industries. Actively self-motivated and able to collaborate with other partners in the write up of research funding applications to the British Council, Higher Education Commission, Pakistan Science Foundation, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), International / local Industry and other funding bodies. Sheraz has contributed (in some key projects worked as technical lead) to the projects at the University of Sheffield and University of Leeds (UK) totalling to an overall amount of £2.98M.
He is a Chemical Engineer with 1st Class BSc and MSc degrees with merit distinctions and three Gold medals for his academic performance. A period in the industry followed working as Chemical Engineer in a Gas Transmission Company after BSc. He later returned to academia to take up a lecturing post in Chemical Engineering and competed to secure a PhD scholarship to study in the UK. He gained his PhD from the School of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds, UK in 2011. A period interfacing industry with academia as a KTP Research Fellow / Process Development Engineer followed, after his PhD, when he co-invented a process to reduce pollutant emissions, corrosion with increase thermal efficiency of the boiler. The planning and successful execution of this process was demonstrated on a full-scale plant followed by retrofitting and testing it as a hybrid technology with other emission reduction technologies. This KTP project has been graded “outstanding” by technology strategy board (TSB) of the UK. The catalyst developed was also patented as part of a process patent in the UK (GB2516728). The same project was also recognised by the UK Trade and Investment department and by Lord Stephen Green (Minister of State for Trade and Investment in 2014).