Under the new Net Metering Law, NEPRA, the Pakistani power regulator, will grant power generation licenses to solar and wind system owners. The owners will need to register the critical equipment used, particularly the make and model of inverter and generator used. Among other technical considerations, the generator must also install a manual disconnect device to take the system off the network if necessary, according to details published by PV Tech publication.
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| Source: PV-Tech |
Pakistan has already introduced feed-in tariffs (FiTs) for larger renewable power systems to supply electricity to the national grid on a commercial scale. It paved the way for a 1000 MW Quaid-e-Azam solar park being built in Bahawalpur.
Pakistan's renewable power policy and regulatory frameworks have drawn praise from international law firm Eversheds which has described the country as “one of the most exciting renewables markets globally, with an abundance of potential”. Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) of Pakistan's CEO, Amjad Ali Awan has said that "Pakistan’s renewable market is relatively new but it provides an attractive investment opportunity with compelling structures which make it bankable as well as marketable."
Net metering law is necessary but not sufficient to promote widespread use of renewable energy. It will take serious coordinated efforts of Pakistan power regulator NEPRA, the country's nascent solar industry and various utilities like K-Electric to start implementation. Meanwhile, consumers could install a stand-alone rooftop solar system that can be connected to the grid in future. They just need to make sure to select high-quality equipment, particularly inverter and switch, for this purpose which will most likely be acceptable to utilities.
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43 comments:
financing options r limited
Compared to india's existing solar installations and upcoming mega installations of 1000 megawatts with the biggest being 10000 megawatts Pakistan's solar plans are a drop in the ocean.
Have you compared the electricity usage per capita of India and Pakistan?
I think Pakistan will suffer economically big time and industries will shift to other parts of the world like China or Bangladesh.
So it requires an investment of almost PKR 100 for every solar Watt?
Kind of expensive in the beginning, but reducing dependency on the grid for in-house lighting will prove dead cheap in the long run.
Need to promote solar energy in cities like Karachi and Lahore... I visited relative a year ago in village near Narowal and they had a roof top solar panels installed and they were not crying for load shedding at all.
The good news about Solar energy is that with each passing day the cost of producing electricity from Solar is going down. Hopefully, that day is not far when the solar energy will become efficient and the cheapest form of producing electricity.
I cannot wait for the day when home owners will be able to produce so much energy during the day that they can store it in batteries which is enough for many days and nights. when that happens, Electricity Utility companies will become passe and outdated as Telephone land lines did with the advent of mobile phones.
To conserve, you can replace your home lights ( energy Savers) with LED lights Or even SMD to run longer on batteries.
Anon: " Compared to india's existing solar installations and upcoming mega installations of 1000 megawatts with the biggest being 10000 megawatts Pakistan's solar plans are a drop in the ocean."
A 2013 joint World Bank and International Energy Agency report titled "Global Tracking Framework" identified India as the most deprived country in terms of access to energy: as many as 306.2 million of its people are still without this basic utility. The remaining 19 nations lacking access to energy, with the number of deprived people is as follows: Nigeria (82.4 million), Bangladesh (66.4 million), Ethiopia (63.9 million), Congo (55.9 million), Tanzania (38.2 million), Kenya (31.2 million), Sudan (30.9 million), Uganda (28.5 million), Myanmar (24.6 million), Mozambique (19.9 million), Afghanistan (18.5 million), North Korea (18 million), Madagascar (17.8 million), the Philippines (15.6 million), Pakistan (15 million), Burkina Faso (14.3 million), Niger (14.1 million), Indonesia (14 million) and Malawi 13.6 million).
http://www.riazhaq.com/2013/06/massive-growth-in-electrical.html
Good development!
Regards
Riaz you mean in India 900 million people have electricity supply.
The countries mentioned here does has many times less population in their country than India provide Power and Basic utilities.
Comparing Pakistan has only 200 Million population and yet 15 million without power.
Anurg: " India 900 million people have electricity supply....Comparing Pakistan has only 200 Million population and yet 15 million without power"
Since you seem to have not learned ratios and proportions in school, let me help you with it: 300 million Indians lacking electricity translates into 25% of the population with the basic utility, a lot higher than the 7.5% of Pakistanis (15 million out of 200 million) who have no connection to the grid.
Surprising industries are running away from Pakistan inspite of only 7.5% people not having electricity. Wonder why so many strikes and riots take place in Pakistan because of energy shortages whereas in India despite 25% people not having electricity you hardly hear any energy shortage related strikes.
What is the per capita energy consumpsion of the 2 countries?
Anon: "India despite 25% people not having electricity you hardly hear any energy shortage related strikes."
Poor downtrodden Indian Hindus are highly fatalistic as portrayed by Prof Godbole in EM Forster's "A Passage to India".
They resign themselves to their fate without protest.
In #Pakistan, #solar water heaters help a town move away from wood http://reut.rs/1MoGS9m via @ReutersIndia
NATHIAGALI, Pakistan (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - For the past year, a steady stream of villagers has been visiting Muhammad Naeem’s home in this quaint mountain town in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.
They come for one reason: to see for themselves the benefits of his solar water heater.
"A solar geyser does not cause respiratory diseases, it reduces the burden of firewood collection, and it gets rid of kerosene expenses,” the roadside shop owner, 35, tells curious visitors. “My wife no longer burns fuelwood to heat water for cooking, bathing, and washing dishes or laundry.”
At least one of Naeem’s visitors walks away convinced.
"I don’t think anyone could resist owning a solar water geyser himself,” fruit farmer Ali Akbar told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. “It offers so many economic, health and environmental benefits.”
First introduced to Nathiagali six years ago, as part of an initiative by the World Wide Fund for Nature - Pakistan (WWF-Pakistan), roof-top solar water heaters are gaining popularity among the area’s villagers as a cheap, easy, and green alternative to wood and kerosene.
The heating systems comprise of a set of water-filled solar tubes, called collectors, connected to an insulated water tank above them.
The tubes absorb sunlight to heat the water inside them. As it heats, the water rises into the storage tank. At the same time, cooler water from the tank flows into the collectors to be heated, keeping hot water circulating through the system.
The units require no electricity to run, making them an affordable, convenient option for communities not on the power grid, experts say. Because they produce no smoke or fumes, solar heaters cut down on the respiratory illnesses associated with burning wood and kerosene.
And, crucially, the heating systems help conserve the trees in Nathiagali and three other towns surrounding Ayubia National Park, an area that is home to 4,000 families, most of whom rely on the local forests of oak, cedar and coniferous pine for fuel.
SAVING TREES
The solar water heating technology first arrived to the towns around the park in 2009, as part of a $48,000 WWF-Pakistan Climate-Resilient Watershed Management Programme funded by the Coca Cola Foundation.
The aim of the project was to curtail deforestation in the area, where over 1,100 mature trees are cut down each year, local forest officials say.
According to Itzaz Mehfooz, a former sub-divisional forest officer, tree cutting has led to problems including soil erosion, landslides, and flash floods, particularly when torrential rains hit.
I am in Karachi , How can I install net metering at home , what will be the procedure ? I dont see any information from K-electric on net metering in karachi
Anon: "I dont see any information from K-electric on net metering in karachi "
Net metering law is necessary but not sufficient to make it happen. It will take serious coordinated efforts of regulator NEPRA, solar industry and utilities like K-Electric to start implementing.
Meanwhile, you could install a stand-alone rooftop solar system that can be connected to the grid in future. Just make sure you select high-quality equipment, particularly inverter and switch, for this purpose which will most likely be acceptable to K-Electric.
Here's an interesting article from Pro_Pakistan on installing solar:
http://propakistani.pk/2014/07/07/everything-need-know-setup-solar-energy-pakistan/
Riaz,
I am Graduate in Maths and my degree is not from AXACT, it is from reputed University in India.
and this page of wiki says "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electricity_sector_in_India"
your knowledge is not upgraded. you are using your generation (your own architect 8086) CPU.
Kindly update you information,
Last 4 years in Indian Electricity Generation Growth percentage is 10% approx or more.
You figures are wrong, India yet have biggest percentage of share of Poor man, but Indian Has biggest percentage of rich man also and Per capita income is more than Pakistan.
it means every Indian citizen is in better position than Pakistani citizens.
Anurag: "it means every Indian citizen is in better position than Pakistani citizens. "
Your Math knowledge is not serving you well.
Do you know that, according to the World Bank figures, Pakistan has higher median income and lower poverty rates than India?
http://www.riazhaq.com/2015/03/comparing-median-incomes-of-bangladesh.html
AGP’s report sees improvement in power generation to 16,890 MW 2015 in #Pakistan since 2013 http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/?p=444609 via @ePakistanToday
The power sector in 2015 has shown significant improvement and has been able to utilise 90 per cent of its available generation capacity and recorded 16,890 MW electricity generation against 18,616 MW derated generation capacity previously.
This has been stated in the audit report submitted by the AGP to the president of Pakistan for the period 2012-13 of previous government tenure till 2014-15.
According to the report, domestic load shedding has been brought down from 8-11 hours to 6-8 hours while industrial load shedding has decreased from 8-12 hours to zero since November 2014, except during January and Ramzan.
The report said that cost minimisation and improvement in cash flow has been ensured by implementing the merit order dispatch – using economical plants first, introducing uniform load management, differentiated load management by identifying higher theft areas and brining all DISCOs collection to CPPA.
These measures have enabled the power sector to pay better and as a result the PSO has received 101 per cent of its outstanding during 2014-15 as compared to 77 per cent during 2013-14, IPPs received 102 per cent in 2014-15 as compared to 85 per cent during 2013-14 and gas companies 106 per cent in 2014-15 as compared to 104 per cent in 2013-14.
In the efforts to lower burden on national exchequer, the power sector has improved a lot. In 2012-13, 334 billion was the subsidy provided by the government accounting for 2.4 percent of GDP. Due to better fiscal management in 2013-14, the subsidy was brought down to 292 billion rupees making it 1.7 percent of the GDP. In the year 2014-15, the subsidy further decreased to 221 billion making it 0.76 percent of GDP. The ministry is further making efforts to further bring down the subsidy.
Similarly, the increase in circular debt in 2013-14 was 203 billion making it 0.7 percent of GDP while in 2014-15 it registered only 49 billion rupees increase accounting for only 0.17 percent of GDP.
For investment facilitation new polices have already been adopted, flexible and enabling security documents have been ensured and investors have been granted greater access and regular reviews of the potential power projects. These policies have been taken well and around 15,000 MW of power sector projects are now on fast tract and in different stages.
In 2013 the energy sector was faced with dual deficit dilemma – generation deficit of around 6,000 MW resulting in heavy industrial and domestic line losses and financial deficit resulting in heavy burden on public exchequer. Another problem being faced was the management deficit in terms of no load management plan resulting in unpredictable load shedding and no financial management plan resulting in burden on fiscal resources. Similarly, the national transmission system was highly risky and there were challenges for new investment in the power sector.
#Solar-powered emergency mobile network developed in #Pakistan - E & T Magazine http://eandt.theiet.org/news/2015/sep/rescue-base-station.cfm#.VgNrN8zNmR4.twitter …
A solar-powered portable mobile phone network that can be used if standard communication channels are down due to natural disasters has been developed by Pakistani researchers.
Called the Rescue Base Station (RBS) for Pakistan, the system, developed by a team from the Information Technology University (ITU) in Lahore in cooperation with the University of California, is the first of its kind supporting standard mobile phones.
"When the RBS is installed in a disaster-hit area, people automatically start receiving its signals on their mobile phones,” said Umar Saif, ITU vice chancellor and an adviser to the project. “They can manually choose it and then call, send messages and even browse (Internet) data free of charge."
The network is powered by a compact antenna fitted into a lightweight box equipped with a signal amplifier, battery and a solar panel. The whole system could be either carried by rescue workers or even dropped from a helicopter to re-establish communication channels in disaster-stricken areas.
According to Saif, people within three kilometres from the station would be able to receive the signal. All they would need to do is to register into the network by sending their name, occupation, age and blood group to a dedicated phone number.
"This helps generate an automatic database of people in distress, and eventually helps both the rescue and relief teams and the victims," said Saif.
The network has not yet been tested in a real-life scenario but the ITU hopes to run first experiments within the next six to eight months.
The network could save lives in disaster situations by enabling survivors to connect with rescue workers and the government authorities.
Users would be able to get the information they need in just a few seconds by sending a text message to specific numbers appearing on their mobile phone.
“For example, if a person needs to contact a fire brigade, they text the words ‘occupation: firefighters’ to the relevant number,” said Saif. “They will then receive names and contact details for local firefighters in just a few seconds and can call for help.”
Funded through the Google Faculty Research Award, the RBS network is based on open source software and cost about $6,000 to develop.
The researchers envision the technology would be procured by mobile phone network operators to bridge outages in their coverage in disaster situations before their normal services could be restored.
GE, Harbin to Provide Large, High-Efficiency Gas Power Plant to Meet Energy Demand in #Pakistan at Bhikki 1.1GW http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20151014005988/en/GE-Harbin-Provide-Large-High-Efficiency-Gas-Power#.Vh7eahCrS8U … Bhikki Combined-Cycle Power Plant Marks the First HA Order in the Middle East and North Africa Region and the 20th and 21st HA Orders Worldwide
New Project Furthers GE-Harbin Technical Collaboration in Providing Competitive Power Plant Solutions Worldwide
Punjab Government Creating What is Expected to be the Largest, Most Efficient Power Plant in Pakistan, Helping Area Meet Growing Power Demand
The Bhikki plant will be able to generate the equivalent power needed to supply more than six million Pakistani homes, and is likely to be the largest, most efficient power plant in Pakistan. It is expected to enter commercial operation in 2017. This project marks the first HA orders in the Middle East and North Africa region and the 20th and 21st worldwide. GE’s 9HA is the world’s largest, most efficient gas turbine.
“We are committed to meeting the growing demand for power to drive industrial growth and all-round economic progress as well as to promote the welfare of our people,” said Ahad Khan Cheema, CEO, Quid-e-Azam Thermal Power Limited, on behalf of the government of Punjab. “As part of this, we are not only investing in new plants but also strengthening public-private collaboration to ensure that advanced technologies are deployed to meet the growing demand. GE and Harbin are moving forward with an accelerated time frame to add additional power to the grid.”
Joe Mastrangelo, president and CEO, gas power systems at GE Power & Water added, “The Bhikki project is another testament to the long-term commitment of GE to serve as an active partner in helping to meet Pakistan’s development needs. We have established strong partnerships in the power sector, and the introduction of our HA gas turbines, a significant first for the region, underlines our focus on bringing the latest technologies to enhance the operational efficiency and productivity of power plants.”
“The Bhikki combined-cycle plant is a strong example of technical collaboration between GE and Harbin in providing the most advanced combined-cycle power plant solutions,” said Mr. Guo Yu, chairman of HEI. “Deploying GE’s advanced HA technology is a game changer for the industry as it supports the government’s goal to ensure affordable, reliable and efficient power generation to meet growing demand.”
With the Bhikki plant, 21 HA units have been ordered and 68 HA units have been technically selected1 by customers around the world. GE’s H-class technology has been embraced by customers in Korea, Japan, the United Kingdom, Brazil, the United States, France, Russia, Germany, Turkey, Egypt, Pakistan and Argentina.
GE’s HA gas turbines provide a combination of the most output, highest efficiency and best operational flexibility and lead the industry in total life cycle value. The 9HA.01 offers a net combined-cycle efficiency of more than 61 percent and leads the industry with cleaner, reliable and cost-effective conversion of fuel to electricity.
The 9HA gas turbine completed off-grid, full-speed, full-load validation testing in January 2015 at the world’s largest, most thorough gas turbine test stand located at GE’s manufacturing facility in Greenville, South Carolina. This testing facility has attracted industry visitors from around the world.
Among key agreements in the country, GE has signed a memorandum of understanding with the government to develop Pakistan’s energy resources to meet the projected demand of 54,000 megawatts by the year 2020. GE will assist the government in achieving its goals by engaging in Pakistan's energy, transportation and water sectors and will work to identify potential sources of funding and explore potential investment opportunities in those sectors.
#Pakistan power company Hubco signs deal with GE to digitize power plants | Business Wire http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160609005713/en/GE-Signs-Digital-Power-Plant-Agreement-Hubco#.V1pFKL0_QMc.twitter …
GE (NYSE:GE) has signed a contract with Hubco to provide its digital industrial solutions for the 1,292-megawatt (MW) Hubco power plant in Baluchistan, Pakistan. Commissioned in 1997, the plant operates four 323-MW generating units. Additionally, it’s the largest independent steam power plant in Pakistan and exports power to the national grid.
“GE’s digital solutions are a game changer for the energy sector, and we are happy to be working with them,” said Khalid Mansoor, CEO of Hubco. “Once implemented at the Hubco Power Plant, these solutions will help us to enhance the reliability of our operations.”
Powered by Predix*, GE’s cloud-based operating system built exclusively for industry, GE’s Digital Power Plant includes a suite of software solutions that can enable Hubco’s power plant operators to analyze and monitor operations across all touchpoints in real time and help identify any maintenance issues ahead of time, leading to greater asset uptime and reduced unplanned downtime.
The Baluchistan Hubco power plant is equipped entirely with non-GE equipment, demonstrating the power of Predix to operate across different types of original equipment manufacturers.
“Energy is increasingly becoming digital, and we have been proud to support Pakistan’s energy sector for more than 50 years with both hardware and software solutions,” said Steve Bolze, president and CEO of GE Power. “This agreement with Hubco marks the sixth deployment of our advanced digital industrial solutions in the country, underscoring our commitment to provide Pakistan with our latest technology.”
Industry experts estimate that between now and 2025 there is $1.3 trillion in value creation for companies that embrace digitization and $90 billion is expected to be invested in the energy industry’s digitization by 2020.
“Pakistan is a leader in adopting new technologies to generate more power,” said Ganesh Bell, chief digital officer, GE Power. “This deployment of GE’s digital industrial solutions marks another chapter in our relationship with the country to deliver better productivity and outcomes for our customers.”
Pakistan proposes solar FiT revisions
http://www.pv-tech.org/news/pakistan-proposes-large-scale-solar-fit-revisions
Pakistan’s National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has published proposed revisions to its feed-in tariffs (FiTs) for solar energy projects of between 1-100MW capacity.
The South region includes the whole of Sindh and Baluchistan Provinces and South Punjab while the rest fo Pakistan's provinces account for the North.
NEPRA will now consider whether to determine a new upfront tariff for solar power projects or to determine a benchmark levelized tariff for competitive bidding by the relevant agency, and whether the proposed costs are reasonable.
Stakeholders now have less than two weeks to provide an intervention to the proposals. A hearing will also be held on 21 July in Islamabad.
This article has been updated to say the FiTs account for projects between 1-100MW.
Solar tariffs decline to all-time low of of Rs 4.63 per kWhr: Piyush Goyal
http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2015-11-05/news/68044032_1_sunedison-tariff-solar-parks
Solar power tariff in India touched record low as US-based SunEdison won a contract to sell electricity from a 500 Mw project at Rs 4.63 per unit (Pak Rs. 7.19) , accelerating India's $160 billion clean energy drive and casting a shadow on fossil-fuel plants that pollute the air and sometimes charge a higher rate.
The winning tariff, for a project of NTPC, came in the Narendra Modi government's first round of auction under the solar mission. India has already attracted big-ticket solar energy investments. These include $3 billion plans of China's Sany group and $20 billion planned by Japan's SoftBank Corp along with Bharti Enterprises and Taiwan's Foxconn Technology. SunEdison's bid is about 15% cheaper than the industry average and about 8% less than the previous lows achieved a few months ago in India's solar energy space. It betters the previous lowest solar tariff in India — Rs 5.05 per unit (Pak Rs. 7.85) — quoted by Canadian SkyPower for a tender in Madhya Pradesh while current average solar tariff in the country is Rs 5.5-6 per kWh. Experts said the tariff offered under the Centre's National Solar Mission reflects the bidders' confidence on NTPC that called the bids and the solar parks where the plants would come up. Sources said SunEdison won the entire contract for 500 Mw solar power supply after an aggressive bidding among 28 companies, including Japan's SoftBank Corp, China's Trina Solar, ReNew Power, Reliance Power and First Solar, which were in fray for the NTPC tender for solar capacity to be developed in Ghani Solar Park at Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh.
The 28 companies had qualified for the reverse e-auction that started Tuesday afternoon and ended in the early hours of Wednesday. At least nine firms bid lower than Rs 5 per unit during the reverse auction, sources said. "Delighted that an all time low solar tariff has been achieved during reverse e-auction conducted by NTPC," renewable energy minister Piyush Goyal tweeted on Wednesday morning. The minister had earlier told ET in an interview that the country's energy investment thrust would clearly be skewed towards the renewable sector.
PricewaterhouseCoopers energy leader Kameswara Rao said the latest solar auction reflects continued decline in solar module prices. "But it owes as much to higher creditworthiness of the buyer, and to the concept of solar parks, which are relatively costlier but take out development risks," he said. The government has increased its thrust on renewable energy projects with an ambitious target of raising renewable energy generation to 175 GW by 2020.
Tariff revision poses threat to solar power project
http://tribune.com.pk/story/988924/tariff-revision-poses-threat-to-solar-power-project/
Upset over the move by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) to push the tariff down from 14.15 cents to 9.25 cents per unit from January 2016, Zonergy President Yu Yong has sent a letter to Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
In the letter, he recalled that the company’s interest in setting up the solar power plant dated back to August 2013 when the first memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed. The Punjab government and Zonergy signed another MoU on July 9, 2014 in Beijing for installation of the 900MW plant in Bahawalpur under the Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park project.
This was followed by a project commitment agreement on July 23, 2014 and both sides agreed on a tariff of 14 cents per unit excluding taxes and also reached agreement on associated conditions and the project implementation schedule.
This tariff, he claimed, was quite below the prevailing market standard as Nepra’s tariff at that time was 16.2 cents per unit, but the company accepted it in view of the economies of scale of the project.
#Pakistan first country to benefit from high-quality #solar maps: World Bank #renewables
https://www.dawn.com/news/1319008/pakistan-first-country-to-benefit-from-high-quality-solar-maps-world-bank
Pakistan has become the first country to benefit from duly validated, high-quality solar maps under a global initiative, allowing it to tap into its renewable energy resources more effectively, the World Bank said in a press release on Tuesday.
The new solar maps for Pakistan were unveiled today at a workshop hosted by the Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) and the World Bank in Islamabad.
According to the World Bank, Pakistan is now part of a small group comprising mainly developed countries with access to sustainable and affordable sources of indigenous energy.
"With the costs of solar power having decreased significantly over the past couple of years, Pakistan now has the opportunity to unleash investment in solar energy without the need for subsidies," said Anthony Cholst, Acting Country Director for the World Bank, Pakistan.
"The World Bank stands ready to support the federal and provincial governments in realising this objective, alongside the support we are already providing for development of hydro-power sector reform and the strengthening of the transmission grid. It is time to realize the full potential of this clean and secure source of energy," he added.
"These new solar maps will definitely ensure qualified improvement vis-a-vis previous studies, and will underscore the tremendous solar potential that exists across Pakistan," said Amjad Ali Awan, Chief Executive Officer of AEDB.
Awan also appreciated the World Bank for its "valuable contribution" to Pakistan's "continued efforts towards scaling up of renewable energy in an affordable and sustainable manner."
Details of solar mapping project
Led by the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program, a multi-donor trust fund administered by the World Bank, the initiative will "facilitate investors in making more informed project decisions".
"The maps will help large solar power projects in obtaining commercial financing by reducing the resource risk," the press release further said.
The World Bank project on solar mapping in Pakistan includes field data being generated by nine solar measurement stations installed two years ago across the country.
"The project supports AEDB’s efforts to harness renewable energy in all the provinces by improving access to bankable data," the World Bank statement said. "The solar maps used the latest solar resource modeling techniques, based on 18 years of satellite and global atmospheric data from 1999-2016."
The arrival of clean energy in Pakistan
https://www.dawn.com/news/1342916/the-arrival-of-clean-energy-in-pakistan
Clean energy is ramping up in Pakistan. Solar PV and LED lighting solutions are fast becoming pervasive in both rural and urban areas with thousands of small businesses signing up for clean energy.
For consumers, it is only logical to move beyond intermittent grid electricity which has proven to be both expensive and unreliable.
As per the latest International Energy Agency Report for 2016, clean energy accounted for 70pc of total electricity generation investment, sidelining investments in fossil-fuel based generation by a wide margin.
Clean energy investments are led by wind power (37pc), solar PV (34pc) and hydropower (20pc).
Amongst countries, China leads the global investment in clean energy generation and continues to invest roughly more than double its investment in clean energy as compared to fossil fuel generation, followed by the European Union, the United States and Japan.
Pakistan has taken a different approach towards energy security. The CPEC has shifted the bulk of the new additions to coal and nuclear. Despite this, solar, wind and micro hydro have all taken off.
What is really encouraging is the use of solar PV by small and medium businesses amid unreliable and expensive grid electricity.
The electricity regular, Nepra, must be given full credit for setting the right sectoral tone by introducing Wheeling, Net Metering and Distributive Generation regulations, all in a short span of time.
Consumers have realised that it is grid energy which is intermittent and expensive and not clean energy.
At the grid level, consumers are unnecessarily penalised with surcharges and taxes which include tariff rationalisation surcharge, debt servicing surcharge, Neelum Jhelum surcharge, FED, sales tax and other fees.
Through all this, the cost of grid electricity is being pushed much higher despite low crude oil prices.
Circular debt, as per media reports, is once again hovering in the range of Rs450 billion and the only plausible way to pay it off is via levy of another surcharge. It has become a norm in the sector that those who pay are only asked to pay more for those who don’t pay at all.
Pakistan needs to understand the business case for clean energy — primarily the impact on jobs and increase in business productivity.
As a country, we too will be adding roughly 1,000MW of clean energy (wind, solar and bagasse) in the next two years but will be adding substantially more from coal and nuclear power.
The government needs to realise that the tide has shifted. The old notions that clean energy is expensive and intermittent no longer holds true.
With changing times, incentives must be provided to help scale clean energy, provide it with the right eco-system, along with regulations to help consumers shift to improved technologies.
Now is the time for Pakistan to truly embrace its clean energy potential, make an early transition and reap the benefits of higher business productivity and increased job creation.
Pakistan updates net metering scheme, unveils clean energy investment program
https://www.pv-magazine.com/2018/01/05/pakistan-updates-net-metering-scheme-unveils-clean-energy-investment-program/
Pakistan has updated its 2015 net metering scheme to make it more user friendly. The Government of Punjab, meanwhile, has unveiled a new Access to Clean Energy Investment Program, aimed at installing over 20,000 solar PV rooftop systems.
Pakistan has updated its net metering guidelines. Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi officially launched the changes at a ceremony in Islamabad on January 3.
Overall, the framework is said to have been simplified, while net metering connections can now be gained in less than one month.
According to a statement on the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting & National Heritage Government of Pakistan website, Khaqan said issues of service and equipment quality had also been addressed.
He added that the key challenge now is to make the system “more efficient and reduce the cost of generation,” of which net metering is part of the plan.
Pakistan first introduced a net metering scheme on September 1, 2015. According to Net Metering Pakistan, as of last March 20, the Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) had connected 56 net metering systems and imported nearly 6 MWh of electricity.
Reducing the burden
The Government of Punjab is also looking to up the solar ante, having introduced The Access to Clean Energy Investment Program, aimed at reducing burden on the National Grid and improving environmental conditions through the implementation of off-grid, decentralized energy solutions.
It is looking to install solar PV rooftop systems on all basic health units (2,400), schools (20,000) and public buildings in the province.
In a document calling for expressions of interest (EOI), the government adds, “The program also includes conducting the energy efficiency audits on the public sector building, construction of a model net zero building and establishment of IT based Program Performance Monitoring System.”
Among the conditions required for project developers, are the criteria that they have completed at least two similar projects within the last 10 years, and have an annual turnover of Rs. 30.00 Million (around US$270,800) or higher.
To fund the program, the government has asked the Asian Development Bank for support to the tune of $87.69 million, which was already approved in November 2016.
“The ADB will support broader GoPb provincial government program for providing uninterrupted access to affordable and clean energy, as set out in the respective power sector master plan,” said the government.
Overall, two phases have been envisaged for implementing the plan: (i) solar PV rooftop systems on 10,861 schools in South Punjab; and (ii) systems on another around 9,700 schools in Northern and Central Punjab.
“The installed solar plants will provide electricity to more than 2.4 million students, including 30% girl’s schools,” said the government.
In addition, a 2.5 MW PV system will be installed at the Islamia University Bahawalpur in Punjab by Punjab Energy Efficiency and Conservation Agency (PEECA). And 2,400 basic healthcare units will receive solar PV rooftop installations.
According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF), Pakistan will see PV installations increase 46% in 2017, up from 700 MW in 2016, to 1.020 GW.
Jeremy Higgs
@jeremyhiggs
Net-metering installations by quarter in Pakistan. Rocket
https://twitter.com/jeremyhiggs/status/1442734285371367426?s=20
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Over 16,000 (licenses issued)
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Which DISCOs are processing the most net-metering applications? IESCO and LESCO.
https://twitter.com/jeremyhiggs/status/1442740983754547204?s=20
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Every generation licence is published on the NEPRA website. A bit of web scraping and PDF parsing to extract the data, lots of waiting, and out it pops!
https://twitter.com/jeremyhiggs/status/1442738903346188289?s=20
PlaceTech | 7 exceptionally green buildings from around the world
https://placetech.net/news/7-exceptionally-green-buildings-from-around-the-world/
Interloop Denim Factory
Interloop denim
Location | Kasur, Pakistan
Occupier | Interloop – clothing manufacturer
Use type | Factory
Rating | Platinum (85) – December 2020
Size | 574,229 sq ft
Notable features
Includes specialised rainwater harvesting pits to recycle ground water
More than 30% of the area is dedicated to greenspace, including a planned “urban forest” with 3,000 trees, which will be planted over five years
30% reduction in its carbon footprint by introducing by introducing solar panels and rice husk boiler
Bilal I Gilani
@bilalgilani
During July-Mar FY2022, a total of 10,783 net metering based systems of 196.77 MW
capacity were installed by different segments of consumers. As of 31st December, 2021, net-metering based solar installations had reached up to 17,950 with a
cumulative capacity of 305.79 MW.
https://twitter.com/bilalgilani/status/1607487467828944897?s=20&t=vdNAhE-JuhPHvxZ_JDofoA
Over 3,500 applications for Net-Metering pending in DISCOs
https://pakobserver.net/over-3500-applications-for-net-metering-pending-in-discos/
As many as 3,521 applications for Net-Metering are currently pending in all power distribution companies (DISCOs).
These applications were pending in various distribution companies including Islamabad Electric Supply Company, Lahore Electric Supply Company, Multan Electric Supply Company, Gujranwala Electric Supply Company, Sukkur and Hyderabad Electric Supply companies and Peshawar Electric Supply Company.
According to official of Power Division, all net metering applications are being facilitated as per National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA’s) regulations and Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) guidelines which are already included in the standard operating procedures (SOPs) of DISCOs.
Power Division has also issued instructions to all DISCOs for timely processing of Net-Metering applications. Net metering connections are installed within the specified time period and no such delays or hurdles are created by DISCO.
A dedicated team of Market Implementation & Regulatory Affairs Department (MIRAD)/ concerned Superintending Engineer are closely monitoring the whole process of net metering connections in all DISCOs for timely execution. He said in order to facilitate consumers, DISCOs have allowed for self-purchase of Bi-Directional energy meters for net metering from approved manufactures. NNI
Pakistan issues tender for 600 MW of PV
The Pakistani authorities say that prospective developers must submit bids for a new 600 MW solar tender by May 8.
https://www.pv-magazine.com/2023/04/04/pakistan-issues-tender-for-600-mw-of-solar/
Pakistan's Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) has launched a tender to deploy 600 MW of PV capacity. It said the new solar projects will be built in the districts of Kot Addu and Muzaffargargh, Punjab province.
Selected developers will be expected to build the plants on a build, own, and operate transfer (BOOT) basis. They have until May 8 to submit project proposals. The deadline was originally set for April 17.
According to the latest statistics from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Pakistan had 1,234 MW of installed PV capacity by the end of 2022. Last year, the nation newly installed 166 MW of solar capacity.
NEPRA, the country's energy authority, recently granted 12 generation licenses, with a total capacity of 211.42 MW. Nine of those approvals were granted to solar projects with a total capacity of 44.74 MW.
In May, NEPRA launched the Competitive Trading Bilateral Contract Market (CTBCM), a new model for Pakistan’s wholesale electricity market. The Central Power Purchasing Agency said the model will “introduce competition in the electricity market and provide an enabling environment where multiple sellers and buyers can trade electricity.”
Unilever Pakistan announces its partnership with K-Solar
https://www.nation.com.pk/18-May-2023/unilever-pakistan-announces-its-partnership-with-k-solar
LAHORE-Unilever Pakistan has announced its partnership with K-Solar, a subsidiary of KE, to transition its operations to solar energy in Rahim Yar Khan and Karachi. This initiative represents a significant step towards achieving Unilever’s ambitious sustainability goals, including net zero emissions in its operations by 2039. Simultaneously, the firm will shed close to PKR 84 million a year in energy costs, facilitating the local economy by considerably reducing the strain on the national grid collectively generating approx. 2.3 million Kwh through renewable sources.
Unilever Pakistan’s Solar Captive Power Plant Phase 2 installation demonstrates their dedication to renewable energy solutions, leading to significant savings and CO2 reductions. At Futehally Chemicals Limited (FCL), the factory that manufactures Surf Excel for Unilever, the 362 kW system will save 496,035 kWh annually, reducing costs by approximately 18 million PKR and CO2 emissions by 233 metric tons. The 1000 kW installation at Rahim Yar Khan Factory will save 1,430,886 kWh, saving approximately 53 million PKR and a CO2 reduction of 662 metric tons per year. The 250 kW system at Rahim Yar Khan Estate will save 357,721 kWh, resulting in cost savings of 13 million PKR and a CO2 reduction of 165 metric tons annually. Unilever Pakistan’s investment in these projects reinforces their commitment to sustainability.
While Unilever’s own factories, offices, research labs, data centers, warehouses, and distribution centers account for only 2% of its total greenhouse gas footprint, the company acknowledges the significance of these emissions and is committed to eliminating them entirely. Abdul Hannan Ahmed Khan, Head of Supply Chain at Unilever Pakistan, expressed his enthusiasm for this collaboration, stating, “Unilever Pakistan is deeply committed to sustainable practices and minimizing our impact on the environment. This solar project is a testament to our dedication to combat climate change and create a brighter, cleaner future. By investing in renewable energy, we are not only reducing our carbon emissions but also driving positive change in the communities we operate in.”
Hashim Raza, CEO of K-Solar, emphasized the significance of joint efforts in realizing a sustainable energy future. He stated, “We are thrilled to partner with Unilever Pakistan on this journey. By combining Unilever’s leadership in sustainability and K-Solar’s expertise in renewable energy solutions, we are confident that we can make a substantial impact in reducing carbon emissions and promoting the use of clean energy sources.”
Pakistan among 26 countries which added over 1,000 MW of solar electricity in 2022
https://www.euronews.com/green/2023/06/13/spain-germany-poland-which-european-countries-added-the-most-solar-power-in-2022
Where are the major solar countries?
More countries than ever are real “solar contenders”, the report shows.
In 2022, the number of major solar countries - defined as those installing at least 1 GW annually - grew from 12 to 26. By 2025, the report predicts that more than 50 countries will be installing more than 1 GW of solar per year.
European countries make up 12 of the solar heavyweights, led by Spain, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands and Italy.
Poland’s solar development has flown past expectations. It’s mostly due to a surge in small rooftop ‘prosumer’ systems that enable homeowners to be rewarded for producing as well as consuming energy.
Ranked by the amount of extra solar they installed last year, here is the full list of the 26 major solar powers:
1. China
2. US
3. India
4. Brazil
5. Spain
6. Germany
7. Japan
8. Poland
9. The Netherlands
10. Australia
11. South Korea
12. Italy
13. France
14. Taiwan
15. Chile
16. Denmark
17. Turkiye
18. Greece
19. South Africa
20. Austria
21. UK
22. Mexico
23. Hungary
24. Pakistan
25. Israel
26. Switzerland
Community solar subscriptions can reduce electricity costs for consumers - Profit by Pakistan Today
https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2023/02/25/community-solar-subscriptions-can-reduce-electricity-costs-for-consumers/
Rooftop solar installations have been a success story in Pakistan for the past few years, with more than 20,000 net metering licenses issued by the end of 2021-22, adding 450MW to the system. The 10x reduction in solar panel prices during the last decade, steep escalation in electricity tariffs, and net metering have made solar installation one of the best investments, with a payback of fewer than four years, while providing an excellent hedge against inflation and tariff escalation. Advanced LFP (Lithium Ferrous Phosphate) batteries, with 15 plus years life, are also becoming financially feasible for peak hours use with imminent peak rate hike.
Despite the success of rooftop solar, there is still much room for growth. There are 610,000 households in Pakistan using 700 plus units and 16.8 million households consuming 300-700 units on average per month. The country can easily achieve at least 10,000MW of rooftop solar installations on just 5 percent of these houses during the next five years by continuing with the current net metering and export rate incentives.
For households using 500–700 units per month, rooftop installations can be accelerated by providing incentives such as reinstating low-cost loans, removing current limitations on net metering, and eliminating 17pc general sales tax on solar equipment for 10KW or smaller installations. However, rooftop solar is not a practical option for lower-income households (300–500 units per month consumption) because of higher cost per kilowatt for a smaller system, financial constraints, roof space availability, rental housing, and apartment living.
This is where community solar comes in as a practical and lower cost solution for these households and industrial facilities. In the community solar subscription model, consumers either purchase or rent a small portion of a large solar farm operated by the utility or a private developer. For example, for a 100 MW solar farm located near an industrial zone, multiple industrial facilities can purchase 20pc of this farm’s capacity (20MW), providing equity investment, while the remaining 80pc (80MW) can be subscribed (rented) by 80,000 low usage household (300-500 units) customers with a limit of 1KW for each.
Because of economies of scale, the per kilowatt cost of these solar farms is 15-20pc lower than a rooftop system, thus reducing the purchase or rental cost. Also, since the industry will be providing equity investment, there won’t be a need to find large investors for these solar farms.
Solar power installations in Pakistan have seen remarkable growth, with an installed capacity of over 2,368 MW as of FY22, reflecting the rising popularity and potential of solar energy.
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2420254/can-pakistan-capitalise-on-solar-as-it-becomes-popular
In recent years, Pakistan has witnessed substantial investments in solar power projects, both domestic and foreign. It has introduced a financing scheme for renewable energy to make financing available for consumers in the private sector to invest in renewable electricity generation. Until February 2022, SBP had provided Rs74 billion (about $400 million) in financing to over 1,175 projects with a combined capacity of 1,375 MW in renewable energy.
The World Bank also reports that Pakistan has a potential of 40 GW of solar power and has set a target of achieving 20% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2025.
Pakistan has been heavily reliant on fossil fuels, particularly oil and gas, for power generation. However, the power production mix has undergone some changes in recent years.
According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), as of 2020, fossil fuels accounted for approximately 63% of the total power generation, followed by hydropower at 29%, nuclear energy at 5%, and renewable energy at around 3%.
Despite its vast potential for solar energy, Pakistan has only scratched the surface of its capabilities. The country is blessed with abundant sunshine, making it an ideal location for solar power generation. Pakistan’s government, recognising the importance of renewable energy, has introduced favourable policies and incentives to promote solar energy development. The Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) offers net metering and feed-in tariffs to encourage residential and commercial solar installations.
The increasing attractiveness of solar energy is expected to drive significant capital investment in Pakistan. Foreign direct investment (FDI) in the renewable energy sector has already been on the rise. Solar projects, including large-scale solar farms and distributed solar installations, offer lucrative investment opportunities. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has also played a crucial role in fostering solar energy cooperation between the two countries.
Several challenges need to be addressed to fully harness Pakistan’s solar energy potential. These challenges include the high initial costs of solar installations, limited access to financing, lack of awareness about solar energy benefits, and inadequate grid infrastructure.
To overcome these obstacles, the current government is working on a new 25-year energy policy that seeks to have 20-30% of all energy derived from renewable energy sources by 2030. The policy also aims to reduce dependence on imported fuel products and increase the share of indigenous resources.
The current government has approved the Alternative and Renewable Energy Policy 2019, which provides incentives and facilitation for renewable energy projects. The previous government also faced challenges in implementing the National Electricity Policy 2021, which was approved by the Council of Common Interests in February 2021.
The policy aimed to ensure affordable, reliable and sustainable electricity supply for all consumers, but faced resistance from some provinces and stakeholders over issues such as tariff determination, power sector governance and distribution reforms. The shift towards solar energy as an attractive investment option signifies a significant turning point in Pakistan’s power production landscape. The country has ample solar resources that can be harnessed to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels, enhance energy security, and contribute to environmental sustainability.
With supportive government policies, increased foreign investment, and technological advancements, solar energy has the potential to revolutionise Pakistan’s power generation sector.
Renewables developer Oracle Power PLC has signed a cooperation agreement with Chinese state-owned energy company PowerChina to jointly develop a 1GW solar PV project in Pakistan.
https://www.pv-tech.org/oracle-power-powerchina-to-build-1gw-solar-pv-plant-in-pakistan/
Located in Oracle’s Thar Block VI land – where it is currently developing a coal minefield – the project will be built in the southeast province of Sindh.
The agreement includes a feasibility study both companies will conduct, however, Oracle has not disclosed any date for the commercial operation of the solar project.
Power generated from the plant will either be integrated into the national grid or sold through power purchase agreements.
Oracle Power has been active in Pakistan lately where it signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Chinese state-owned China Electric Power and Technology for the potential development, financing, construction, operation and maintenance of a green hydrogen project in the Sindh Province.
Along with the construction of a green hydrogen facility, the MoU also includes the development of a hybrid project with 700MW of solar PV, 500MW of wind power and an undisclosed capacity for battery storage.
The 1GW solar PV project with PowerChina will be located 250 kilometres away from the proposed green hydrogen project Oracle aims to build in Pakistan.
Naheed Memon, CEO of Oracle, said: “The proposed development of the Thar Solar Project provides Oracle with the opportunity to not only develop a sizeable renewable energy project in Pakistan, but also to bring a long-term and sustainable business to our Thar Block VI asset.”
10,000mw solar power plants to be installed before summers 2023
These solar plants will generate 10,000 megawatts of electricity under the initiative, saving Pakistan's billions of dollars.
https://www.globalvillagespace.com/10000mw-solar-power-plants-to-be-installed-before-summers-2023/
The prime minister directed that work on the project begin immediately in order to bring respite to the masses before the next summer season begins.
These solar plants will generate 10,000 megawatts of electricity under the initiative, saving Pakistan’s billions of dollars.
In the initial phase, the electricity generated will be distributed to government buildings, tube-wells, and families that utilize less units of electricity.
He has also directed that a conference be held next week to solicit bids for the project.
The prime minister, who presided over a conference in Islamabad to bring huge relief to the people, stated that solar energy should be used instead of imported oil. The decision was taken with an aim to save the foreign exchange rate as the country would not need to spend billions of dollars on importing fuel for electricity generation.
He urged that the project be implemented as soon as possible by the relevant authorities.
The situation of loss in income and rising electricity bills makes a huge economic and financial burden on households. Skyrocketing electricity bills have blown the minds of consumers.
Consumers strongly condemned skyrocketed electricity bills in the month of August, even during long hours of unscheduled load shedding followed by blackouts by Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) and demanded that the federal government take up this burning issue immediately.
The Rawalpindi bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) Tuesday suspended the collection of fuel price adjustment in electricity bills.
Justice Jawad Ul Hassan, while hearing the writ petition filed against the increase of taxes, directed WAPDA and NEPRA not to charge tax on consumers’ electricity bills. The judge also summoned the head of IESCO on September 15 and issued notices to the parties concerned to appear before the Court on the next hearing.
Pakistan Sees Solar Boom as Chinese Imports Surge, BNEF Says – BNN Bloomberg
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-08-09/pakistan-sees-solar-boom-as-chinese-imports-surge-bnef-says/
(Bloomberg) -- Pakistan’s market for solar power is booming, propelled by a surge in imports from China, according to BloombergNEF.The country imported some 13 gigawatts of solar modules in the first six months of the year, making it the third-largest destination for Chinese exporters, according to a report by BNEF analyst Jenny Chase. Pakistan’s installed capacity to generate power is just 50 gigawatts. China is the world’s biggest producer of solar equipment.Solar is gaining traction in the South Asian nation following hikes in power prices over the past few years, with the latest increase in July triggering widespread protests. Higher rates have seen grid electricity consumption drop to the lowest in four years as many people switch to independent solar. “Pakistan’s market has the potential to continue to be very large,” said Chase. “If solar is solving the market’s power problems, there is no reason to expect a crash any time soon.”BNEF expects that the country will add between 10 gigawatts and 15 gigawatts of solar this year, mostly on homes and factories, making Pakistan the sixth-largest market in the world. Given the surge in imports, that figure could end up being far higher — or growth could stall if the grid situation improves, prices fall, or the market of middle-class people who can afford solar panels on their roofs saturates, according to the report.
There are other complications in accurately assessing the market and its prospects, said Chase. Those include wide discrepancies between official data on installations and imports, as well as claims last year that solar imports were used in money laundering schemes.
China adopted classic cutthroat pricing to shift a record 120,427 megawatts (MW) of solar module capacity exports in the first half of 2024, with Pakistan being Asia's largest single market, accounting for 10,450 MW.
Key to the strong export flow was a steep cut in module prices, which averaged 13.7 cents per megawatt over the first half of 2024, compared to an average of 18 cents/MW for the whole of 2023.
https://mettisglobal.news/pakistan-emerges-as-largest-asian-buyer-in-chinas-record-solar-exports/
The Netherlands remained the top country market for China's modules, taking in 23,421 MW of capacity during the opening half of the year.
Brazil was China's second largest market during the first half of the year, snapping up 10,511 MW of capacity.
Pakistan was the world's third and Asia's largest single market, accounting for 10,450 MW.
Meanwhile, India snapped up 8,324 MW.
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Key Markets
Europe was the top destination for China's solar modules, accounting for 43% of the total, or 52,158 MW.
That total was down 20% from the same period in 2023, as high interest rates, economic growth concerns and trade tensions with China stifled solar installation demand across the continent.
Nonetheless, Europe's purchase total was the second highest tally for a half-year period behind the first half of 2023.
The Netherlands remained the top country market for China's modules, taking in 23,421 MW of capacity during the opening half of the year.
While that total was 25% less than during the opening half of 2023, The Netherlands' purchases were still more than twice the size of any other nation during the first half of the year.
Spain, Germany and Italy were also notable buyers in Europe, but all also showed steep year-on year contractions in purchase volumes, Ember data shows.
Brazil was China's second largest market during the first half of the year, snapping up 10,511 MW of capacity.
That total was up 10% from the same period in 2023, and contrasts with a slight contraction in imports by the Latin American region as a whole during the first half of the year.
Growth Areas
Asia was the second largest regional destination for China's solar parts, accounting for a record 32,109 MW of capacity, or around 27% of the total.
That total was 86% more than during the first half of 2023, and was driven mainly by strong growth in South Asia. Meanwhile, India snapped up 8,324 MW.
Both markets recorded more than 200% jumps in solar imports from the same period in 2023, and represent key growth markets for China in the future.
The Middle East was another key destination for China so far this year, with exports to the region topping 13,000 MW for the first half of the year to account for a record 11% share of China's total solar panel and parts exports.
That compares to 6,228 MW during the first half of 2023, and was driven in large part by strong purchases by Saudi Arabia (7,649 MW), United Arab Emirates (1,892 MW) and Oman (1,396 MW).
Elsewhere, North America remained a tiny market for Chinese panels and parts due to the ongoing trade spat between China and the United States, while Africa's purchases shrank by around 9% from the first half of 2023, and accounted for only 4.3% of China's total sales
Giving A Fair Deal To Distributed Solar In Pakistan
The author is a freelance contributor interested in sustainable energy and power sector policy, planning, and development. He can be reached at: msrahim@hotmail.com
https://thefridaytimes.com/18-Aug-2024/giving-a-fair-deal-to-distributed-solar-in-pakistan
Distributed solar needs a level-playing field to compete with conventional options. Government should provide an enabling legal, regulatory umbrella and an equitable decision-making framework to objectively evaluate every option
For much of its history, the electric supply industry (ESI) in Pakistan has enjoyed the status of being the most stable business and a favourite of investors. This was mainly due to "economies of scale" in generation, extended distances between load centres and good generation sites (especially, hydro), and the benefits that interconnecting isolated systems offered by way of reserve sharing, energy trading, and reliability. Alas, no more!
The advent of small gas-fired combined cycle power plants has ended the golden era of the large, central-station supply systems. Distributed energy generation technologies, particularly solar photovoltaic (PV), have dealt the proverbial death blow to the unchallenged reign of the traditional way of governing the ESI — using a central-station portfolio of mega-sized generation projects and delivering electricity produced by them to loads located far away.
Distributed solar technologies—located behind-the-metre or anywhere else in the distribution system—have been making rapid inroads into power grids across the world. Pakistan is no exception.
Pakistan did show an interest in solar technologies, but this has remained focused on their deployment in the power grid. Though important, it's not the only or even the best avenue for their uptake. The only initiative from the government to promote distributed solar has been its net metering schemeintroduced in 2015. Most other behind-the-metre solar PV systems have not merited any incentive from our governments.
Precise statistics for distributed solar in the country are not available from official sources but a recent report by "pv magazine" terms it "booming" as the import of PV panels saw a rise from 2.8 GigaWatt (GW) in 2022 to 5 GW in 2023 and may reach 12 GW in 2024. By June 2023, the total number of net metering connections had reached 63,703 with a cumulative capacity of 1,505 MW. The annual addition of new consumers to this list was around 1,596, with a cumulative capacity of 221 MW in 2023.
These statistics indicate that the number of net metering connections and their magnitude are still low, but electricity consumers in Pakistan are opting for non-grid interactive systems in rapid strides to reduce their electricity bills which have become unaffordable.
The rigid mindset of power sector functionaries, from top to bottom, is directly responsible for this alarming trend. They have treated consumers as captives to the grid and have used them to dump all the misgovernance costs. They are still not willing to wake up to the new reality that the consumers now have multiple choices. Distributed solar is just one of these and is destined to grow even more if the grid supply remains unreliable and expensive.
Distributed solar offers many benefits. It can avoid investments in the grid and reduce losses, help manage demand, support grid operation, avoid environmental pollution, spur local industrialisation, promote employment, reduce reliance on imported fuels, and enhance national security and sustainability.
Their presence in the grid does pose some technical challenges. In addition to the two-way flow of power, they add to issues like loss of frequency and voltage control, risks of backfeed to the upstream transmission systems, and impair the power quality.
Future of Net-Metered Solar Power in Pakistan
https://ieefa.org/resources/future-net-metered-solar-power-pakistan
Pakistan's current Distributed Generation and Net Metering Regulations offer incentives such as high buyback rates, fixed long-term generation licenses, and generous allowances for installed capacity. These have resulted in ideal payback periods, leading to a surge in net-metered rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity across the country.
The current policy offers 2-4 year payback periods for 5-25 kilowatt (kW) net-metered solar PV systems. Power utilities are concerned that higher penetration of distributed solar could place the distribution infrastructure at risk of failure and increase capacity payments on non-net-metered consumers.
The government is considering reducing buyback rates and a shift to net billing from net metering, which could increase payback periods for consumers with a higher self-consumption ratio but may incentivize oversized systems. A net billing scheme would therefore need to limit system size. Despite all policy shifts, the payback periods remain under 5 years
For the government, while maintaining or improving buyback rates can encourage more renewable energy adoption, this must be combined with grid optimization and digitization. For consumers, choosing the right system size for their consumption profile can significantly impact their return on investment.
Rationalizing Incentives for Solar Photovoltaic (PV) in Pakistan
https://ieefa.org/sites/default/files/2024-08/IEEFA%20Fact%20Sheet_Rationalizing%20Incentives%20for%20Solar%20PV%20in%20Pakitan.pdf
The recent surge in rooftop solarization in Pakistan has raised concerns among power distribution companies about
system reliability and increased capacity payments.
The government is considering several changes to current energy policies, including reducing buyback rates,
limiting system sizes, and transitioning from net metering to net billing.
However, even with the proposed changes, the payback period for 5-25 kilowatt (kW) distributed solar PV systems
remains below the 5-year threshold
A mere 50 megawatts (MW) of netmetered solar capacity was added
between 2016 and 2019. However,
consistently high electricity tariffs
and a substantial decline in solar
panel prices have led to a recent
surge in solar PV additions.
Pakistan’s abundant
solar potential offers
specific yields of 3.8
kilowatt-hours per
kilowatt peak (kWh/
kWp) to 6kWh/kWp.
Since 2022, net-metered solar PV
installations have nearly doubled, with
764MW installed in 2023.
In June 2024, Pakistan’s
on-grid net-metered solar PV
capacity was approximately
2200MW.
The recent surge in rooftop solarization in Pakistan has raised concerns among power distribution companies about
system reliability and increased capacity payments.
The government is considering several changes to current energy policies, including reducing buyback rates,
limiting system sizes, and transitioning from net metering to net billing.
However, even with the proposed changes, the payback period for 5-25 kilowatt (kW) distributed solar PV systems
remains below the 5-year threshold
Under the current mechanism, which offers the prevailing National Average Power Purchase Price (NAPPP) of PKR 27 per
kilowatt hour (kWh) as the buyback rate, the relatively higher per kW cost of smaller 5kW and 7.5kW systems results in
extended payback periods ranging between 2.4-4 years. As the system size increases, the payback period decreases, with
a 25kW system recording the shortest payback period of 1.74 years.
• Reducing the buyback rate to the National Average Energy Purchase Price (NAEPP) of PKR 9.69/kWh could lead to a
10%–56% increase in the payback period, depending on the level of consumption and system size. Consumers with smaller
installations and lower consumption experience longer payback periods.
• Reducing the buyback rate to PKR 15/kWh would only result in a 6% increase in the payback period for consumers with
100% self-consumption, while for lower-consumption profiles it may increase by 25%.
• Shifting to a net billing mechanism would increase the payback period for consumers with a higher self-consumption ratio
but could incentivize the installation of oversized systems.
A solar power policy crisis for Pakistan - Asia Times
https://asiatimes.com/2024/05/a-solar-power-policy-crisis-for-pakistan/
Search Labs | AI Overview
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As of August 2024, Pakistan's net metering regulations allow excess energy from solar systems to be sold back to the grid at the National Average Power Purchase Price (NAPPP). This price reflects the average cost per unit of power that the DISCOs purchase.
In June 2024, some speculated that the government might introduce changes to the solar panel policy, including a shift from net metering to a gross metering system. However, the Federal Minister for the power division, Ahmed Khan Lagari, has denied these changes and assured the public that the existing net metering system will remain in place.
A bidirectional meter, which measures both the electricity generated and consumed, can help consumers reduce their reliance on expensive grid electricity. This system can also make solar investments financially viable, promote energy independence, and reduce the strain on the national grid.
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Optimizing solar incentives and grid infrastructure in Pakistan can benefit power distribution companies and energy consumers | IEEFA
https://ieefa.org/articles/optimizing-solar-incentives-and-grid-infrastructure-pakistan-can-benefit-power
The regulations created the framework for the successful adoption of distributed renewable energy in the country, with approximately 2.2 gigawatts (GW) of net-metered rooftop solar PV capacity connected to the grid by June 2024.
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