Solar power in Pakistan
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File:Pakistan GHI Solar-resource-map GlobalSolarAtlas World-Bank-Esmap-Solargis.png
{{Electricity generation in Pakistan}}
Solar power in Pakistan is growing at the "most extreme" rate in the world, with solar installations providing an estimated one-third of the country's entire generating capacity added in 2024 alone.{{Cite web |date=2024-11-27 |title=Pakistan's surprise solar surge shocks experts and grid |url=https://www.dw.com/en/pakistan-solar-power-renewable-energy-power-grid-v2/a-70885544 |website=Deutsche Welle}} Solar power became part of the energy mix in 2013, following government policies aimed at supporting renewable energy development. Benefiting from nine and a half hours of sunlight daily, the country now has seven large-scale solar projects that contribute 530 MW to the national grid, along with a growing number of harder to measure off-grid projects. Rising electricity costs and grid reliability concerns have driven industries, businesses, and urban homeowners to increasingly turn to solar solutions, including rooftop photovoltaic installations.{{Cite web |date=2024-01-12 |title=Pakistan - Country Commercial Guide, Renewable Energy |url=https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/pakistan-renewable-energy |website=International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce}}
The country has solar plants in Pakistani Kashmir, Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan. Initiatives are under development by the International Renewable Energy Agency, the Japan International Cooperation Agency, Chinese companies, and Pakistani private sector energy companies. The Quaid-e-Azam Solar Power Park (QASP) was built in the Cholistan Desert, Punjab, in 2015 and has a 400 MW capacity.{{Cite web|url=http://www.dawn.com/news/1205484|title=World's largest solar park to light up Pakistan's future|last=Ebrahim|first=Zofeen T.|date=8 September 2015|access-date=4 August 2016|archive-date=8 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201208052928/https://www.dawn.com/news/1205484|url-status=live}} As electricity prices doubled from 2021 to 2024, and Chinese solar panel manufacturers with manufacturing overcapacity cut prices,{{Cite web | title= The Great Solar Rush in Pakistan | url= https://uploads.renewablesfirst.org/The_Great_Solar_Rush_in_Pakistan_38157451a3.pdf | access-date=2025-03-09 | website=www.renewablesfirst.org}} Pakistanis have taken to installing solar panels around the country, importing $1.4 billion of panels from China in the first half of 2024.{{Cite web |last=Jilani |first=Humza |title=Chinese solar panel boom threatens Pakistan’s debt-ridden grid |url=https://www.ft.com/content/69e4cb33-3615-4424-996d-5aee9d1afe19?shareType=nongift |access-date=2024-09-18 |website=www.ft.com}}
Solar resource
Solar irradiance in Pakistan is 5.3 kWh/m2/day.{{Cite web |url=http://www.powerasia.com.pk/icaep2008/presentation/SIII_Azzam.pdf |title=Potentials of Solar Thermal for Electricity use in Pakistan |access-date=29 May 2012 |archive-date=14 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190214205253/http://www.powerasia.com.pk/icaep2008/presentation/SIII_Azzam.pdf |url-status=live }}
Government policy
Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, the Federal Minister of Water & Power of Pakistan, announced on 2 July 2009 that 7,000 villages would be electrified using solar energy by 2014. Senior adviser Sardar Zulfiqar Khosa stated that the Punjab government would begin new projects aimed at power production through coal, solar energy and wind power; this would generate additional resources.{{Cite web |url=http://www.thenews.com.pk/updates.asp?id=88856 |title=Dead link |access-date=14 November 2009 |archive-date=15 May 2016 |archive-url=http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20160515201148/http://www.thenews.com.pk/updates.asp?id=88856 |url-status=live }}
The Government of Pakistan allowed the provincial government of Sindh to conduct feasibility research. The government planned to install a desalination plant powered by solar energy.{{Cite web |url=http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=141165 |title=Dead link |access-date=14 November 2009 |archive-date=15 May 2016 |archive-url=http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20160515201159/http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=141165 |url-status=live }}
On 21 May 2022, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced the removal of 17 per cent general sales tax on solar panels.{{Cite web |last=Ayub |first=Imran |date=21 May 2022 |title=PM removes 17pc GST on solar panels |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1690683 |access-date=21 May 2022 |website=Dawn |location=Pakistan |language=en |archive-date=21 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521053043/https://www.dawn.com/news/1690683 |url-status=live }}
The World Bank reports that Pakistan possesses a solar power potential of 40 GW and has set a goal to achieve 20% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2025. To promote the use of solar energy, Pakistan has introduced incentives, including net metering and feed-in tariffs.{{Cite web |date=2023-06-05 |title=Can Pakistan capitalise on solar as it becomes popular |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/2420254/can-pakistan-capitalise-on-solar-as-it-becomes-popular |access-date=2024-02-13 |website=The Express Tribune |language=en}} Net metering allows small systems to have a payback period of just 2-4 years.{{Cite web |title=The future of net-metered solar power in Pakistan |url=https://ieefa.org/resources/future-net-metered-solar-power-pakistan |access-date=2024-09-18 |website=ieefa.org |language=en}}
The Sindh and Punjab provincial governments announced policies in 2024 to provide free or subsidized solar panels to low income residents to reduce their electricity costs.
Projects
- Beaconhouse installed the first high quality integrated solar energy system with a 10 kW power generation capacity capable of grid tie-in at Beaconhouse Canal Side Campus, Lahore. It was a pilot project for BSS designed by U.S. consultants, based upon feasibility by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA).{{Cite web |url=http://www.jica.go.jp/pakistan/english/office/topics/press120529.html |title=Pakistan gets first on-grid solar power station |access-date=27 June 2012 |archive-date=5 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160605082717/http://www.jica.go.jp/pakistan/english/office/topics/press120529.html |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://tbt.beaconhouse.net/index.php?page_id=11&content_id=6 |title=The Beaconhouse Times Online - Solar Panels Installed at Canal Side Campus |publisher=Tbt.beaconhouse.net |access-date=13 June 2014 |archive-date=3 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303234712/http://tbt.beaconhouse.net/index.php?page_id=11&content_id=6 |url-status=live }}
- 50 to 100 MW of photovoltaics is expected to be installed in 2013, and at least 300 MW in 2014.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nation.com.pk/31-Oct-2012/punjab-german-firm-ink-solar-energy-mou |title=Punjab, German firm ink solar energy MoU |access-date=13 January 2013 |archive-date=14 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130914110406/http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/business/31-Oct-2012/punjab-german-firm-ink-solar-energy-mou |url-status=live }} In May 2015, 100 MW of a planned 1,000 MW were installed in the Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park.{{cite web|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/859627/quaid-e-azam-solar-park-solar-energys-100mw-to-arrive-in-april/|title=Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park: Solar energy's 100MW to arrive in April|date=27 March 2015|work=The Express Tribune|access-date=17 May 2015|archive-date=18 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201218045521/https://tribune.com.pk/story/859627/quaid-e-azam-solar-park-solar-energys-100mw-to-arrive-in-april|url-status=live}}
- The progress of net metering in Pakistan up to 31 October 2021 is 2188 MW commissioned systems.{{Cite web |date=2024|title=An Enigma of Net Metering |url=https://pide.org.pk/research/an-enigma-of-net-metering/ |access-date=January 22, 2025 |website=aedb.org}}
- Muzaffargarh solar power project
- The Sindh Solar Energy Project (SSEP), funded by the World Bank with $100 million, aims to enhance solar power generation in Sindh Province.{{Cite web |title=Expanding Renewable Energy in Pakistan’s Electricity Mix |url=https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2020/11/09/a-renewable-energy-future-for-pakistans-power-system |access-date=2024-02-13 |website=World Bank |language=en}} It encompasses utility-scale solar development, distributed solar installations on public buildings, and the deployment of solar home systems in areas with limited grid access.{{Cite web |title=Development Projects : Sindh Solar Energy Project - P159712 |url=https://projects.worldbank.org/en/projects-operations/project-detail/P159712 |access-date=2024-02-13 |website=World Bank |language=en}}
- To avail the Net Metering Facility in Pakistan you need to install minimum of 10 KW solar system with on-grid inverter and 20 solar panels.{{cn|date=January 2025}}
- In February 2025, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif inaugurated a subsidized solarization project for agricultural tube wells in the province.{{Cite web | title=CM Punjab launches project to solarise agricultural tube wells | url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/2525911/maryam-nawaz-launches-solarisation-project-for-agricultural-tube-wells |website=The Express Tribune | language=en | access-date=2025-03-09 }} About 87% of these wells are currently powered by diesel or grid power.