LAHORE: Punjab Energy Secretary Muhammad Ajmal Bhatti met a Danish delegation in Lahore on May 25 to discuss cooperation on industrial energy efficiency, green energy transition and sustainable development under the Government-to-Government Strategic Sector Cooperation framework.

The meeting focused on improving energy use in Punjab’s industrial sector, particularly in high energy-consuming industries. Officials discussed regulatory reforms, technical assistance and the establishment of Model Energy Efficiency Zones to help industries reduce energy waste, lower production costs and meet global environmental standards.

The Danish delegation included Nadeem Nawaz, Country Manager of the Danish Energy Agency; Fridolin Muller Holm, Consultant at Viegand Maagoe; and Daniya Baseer, Green Diplomacy Officer at the Embassy of Denmark in Islamabad.

Both sides discussed the implementation of ISO 50001-based Energy Management Systems in major industries, along with a provincial regulatory framework for energy conservation. They also reviewed low-cost, high-impact measures that could be introduced across industrial units.

The meeting considered sector-specific technical guidelines for textiles, cement, food processing and other major industries to support the adoption of modern, energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable practices.

Bhatti said the Punjab government, under the vision of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, was taking practical steps for energy efficiency, industrial growth and environmental protection.

He said aligning Punjab’s export-oriented industries with modern energy standards had become important as global decarbonization requirements continue to evolve.

Both sides agreed to work on converting selected industrial clusters in Punjab into Model Energy Efficiency Zones. A three-year roadmap will be developed with phased targets, monitoring and evaluation systems, and training programmes for provincial officers and energy auditors.

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