Pakistan is experiencing soaring demand for electricity across all of the sectors of its economy. The new demand is being met by rapidly growing deployment of distributed solar, estimated at 38 GW as of June, 2025. In 2025, 44% of solar deployment was residential, followed by industry (26%), agriculture (21%) and commercial users (9%). The expansion of distributed solar has enhanced electrification across the economy, lifting Pakistan's electrification rate to 21.7% in FY2025 from 17% in FY2023, close to the global average of 22%. This surge to over 200 terawatt-hours of electricity is not reflected in official data, according to a report by Ember Energy titled "The solarization of Pakistan's energy economy".
The solar energy revolution in Pakistan is led by consumers. Driven by soaring electricity costs, unreliable grid infrastructure, and cheap imported solar panels, millions of households and businesses have installed rooftop solar. This rapid transition to solar has transformed the country's energy landscape. According to the report, Pakistan’s total electricity demand increased by 33 terawatt-hours (TWh) between fiscal years 2023 and 2025. Distributed solar generation alone grew by 36 TWh during the same period, making it the primary driver of electricity demand growth and offsetting declines elsewhere in the power system.
"Pakistan has a thirst for energy, and solar is providing it," said Dave Jones, Chief Analyst at Ember. "Distributed solar is so fast and cheap to build, that it is actually driving up electricity demand." The newly added solar capacity has saved more than US$12 billion in oil and gas imports by February, 2026, Ember said, as well as enabling growth in the agriculture, industrial and commercial parts of Pakistan’s economy.
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| Actual Solar Deployment in Pakistan Far Exceeds Official Stats. Source: Ember |
Related Links:
Haq's Musings
South Asia Investor Review
Solar Power Boom in Pakistan
Pakistan Electric Vehicle Policy
Nuclear Power in Pakistan
Can Urban Forests Beat the Heat in Pakistani Cities
Pakistan's Response to Climate Change
IPP Contacts Bankrupting Pakistan
Earth Day: Pakistan's Progress Toward Clean Energy
Net Metering in Pakistan
Pakistan's Digital Public Infrastructure Transforming Lives
My Family's Contribution to Climate Action
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor
Ownership of Appliances and Vehicles in Pakistan
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Pakistan's $20 Billion Tourism Industry Boom
Riaz Haq's YouTube Channel
PakAlumni Social Network
34 comments:
Economic reasons unnessarily generated by the rulers, setting prohibitively high prices and taxation on grid electricity. Now they're trying to discourage solar power usage by multiple means, like finishing net metering policy and imposing direct taxation on solar power users. Typical of our ruling establishments right from 1947, do away with anything that benefits the populace, a continuing colonial legacy of British raj.
Suhail: “Economic reasons unnessarily generated by the rulers, setting prohibitively high prices and taxation on grid electricity. Now they're trying to discourage solar power usage by multiple means, like finishing net metering policy and imposing direct taxation …..”
It’s an unplanned solar revolution. I think the next big energy revolution in Pakistan will be the addition of batteries which will help allow solar electricity use around the clock. The government too is adding grid scale battery storage systems which will bring down the cost of grid electricity and reduce Pakistan’s dependence on fossil fuel imports. https://www.statista.com/chart/23807/lithium-ion-battery-prices/?srsltid=AfmBOoo-7nlSLvnaKPW5b-RzGPSiXXumW_5bZn_4Mky2ycYOw27DXqna
New Record Lows for Battery Prices
https://about.bnef.com/insights/clean-transport/new-record-lows-for-battery-prices/
Lithium-ion battery prices dropped again in 2025, with average prices coming down 8% to $108 per kilowatt-hour, according to BloombergNEF’s annual price survey.
China still leads
China’s lead in low battery prices continued in 2025, with average prices in the country dropping 13% to $84/kWh. This is due to a combination of lower input costs, overcapacity, intense price competition and preference for lower-cost lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells.
Prices in North America and Europe were 44% and 56% higher, which is a big part of why EVs in those regions still cost more than their combustion counterparts. In China, price parity has already been achieved in almost all vehicle segments.
This year, the lowest observed cell and pack prices were just $36/kWh and $50/kWh, respectively. These were for LFP batteries going into stationary storage applications. Similar lows were observed last year, which indicates these price levels are no longer extreme outliers.
BNEF has been doing this price survey for 15 years now, and each year when the top-line number lands, there’s a steady stream of commentary attributing the drop to producers slashing margins. Margins did dip slightly in the first half of this year, but that alone doesn’t fully account for the drop. There’s real innovation and efficiency improvements going on, too, and prices are now down 93% since 2010 in real terms.
Material price rise
Perhaps the most intriguing storyline from the 2025 survey is what didn’t happen.
Cobalt prices rose sharply this year after the Democratic Republic of the Congo introduced export quotas, and lithium ticked up, too. But battery prices didn’t rise. The industry absorbed these shocks through greater LFP adoption, long-term contracts and broader hedging strategies.
This is a markedly different picture from just a few years ago, when higher reliance on nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) cathodes meant a spike in metal prices led directly to batteries bucking their long-term downward trend.
It’s probably too early to celebrate — if elevated metal prices persist, the effect will eventually show up in battery figures — but even this level of resilience to underlying material price changes shows how far the battery industry has come.
The diversification trend is set to continue in the years ahead as sodium-ion battery production capacity is starting to come online, and other new cathode and anode chemistries are approaching commercialization.
Stationary storage costs are plummeting
The average pack price for stationary storage systems dropped to $70/kWh, 45% lower than in 2024. This is the sharpest drop across all segments and makes stationary storage the lowest-priced segment for the first time.
This was largely driven by intense competition in China, where there’s immense overcapacity for battery cells specifically aimed at stationary storage applications. China’s production for stationary storage cells in 2025 is estimated at 557 GWh, over double global installations in the sector.
Grid scale storage in batteries will become commercials viable for base load use cases once sodium ion batteries become mainstream..
We are talking around 2030.
2026: The Year of Validation for Sodium-ion Batteries
https://autonews.gasgoo.com/articles/news/2026-the-year-of-validation-for-sodium-ion-batteries-2072318186333450240
Gasgoo Munich-For a long time, the market has measured sodium-ion batteries against a lithium-ion yardstick. Because their energy density trails that of lithium iron phosphate (LFP), they are often dismissed as low-end substitutes, with their market potential seen as merely tracking lithium carbonate prices.
A recent report from Northeast Securities offers a different perspective. It identifies 2026 as a pivotal year for validating the industrialization of sodium-ion technology. The core value of sodium batteries, the report argues, lies not in displacing the existing LFP market, but in carving out niches where lithium economics falter—specifically, high-cold energy storage, long-duration storage, and data center backup power—leveraging their low-temperature performance, long cycle life, and high safety.
In these scenarios, lithium batteries either suffer severe degradation in the cold or fail to pencil out economically over long cycles. Sodium-ion batteries fill that gap. The two are better seen as complementary than as substitutes.
Judging by the industry's momentum, sodium-ion technology is moving past the hype phase. While cathode technology routes have largely solidified, the anode remains the biggest variable. Costs haven't yet caught up to LFP, but as scaling production drives down material prices, the industry widely expects cell cost parity to arrive between late 2026 and 2027.
The entire supply chain, from battery makers to material suppliers, has staked out its positions to varying degrees, and the segmentation within the sector is becoming increasingly clear. Moving beyond simple price comparisons, sodium-ion batteries are proving their worth through real-world deployment and cost optimization.
Sodium-Ion Has Its Own Battleground
One major market misjudgment is measuring sodium-ion solely by energy density, overlooking how physical differences dictate suitability for specific scenarios.
Calculations by Northeast Securities highlight several standout performance features of sodium-ion batteries: they retain over 90% of their capacity at minus 40 degrees Celsius, boast a cycle life that can exceed 15,000 cycles, and have a higher thermal runaway trigger temperature than lithium batteries. These characteristics make them uniquely suited for applications like wind and solar storage in frigid northern climates, four- to eight-hour long-duration storage, data center backup power, and automotive start-stop systems.
In these contexts, LFP either suffers significant low-temperature degradation or offers weak economics over long cycles, making sodium-ion the more appropriate choice.
After years of technical iteration, cathode routes have largely solidified. The polyanionic route, relying on ultra-long cycle life and low costs, is expected to account for 77% of shipments by 2025, firmly securing its position as the mainstream for energy storage. Layered oxides, targeting the power market, will see their share shrink to under 20%. Meanwhile, the commercial space for Prussian blue is narrowing due to persistent issues with crystalline water stability.
The biggest variable now lies in the anode. Hard carbon is currently the only option achieving mass production, but the battle over different raw material routes is far from over. Biomass-based production is the fastest, relying on coconut shells, but dependence on imports raises supply chain security concerns. Local routes using straw and bamboo are accelerating to offset this reliance. Coal-based and pitch-based options offer greater theoretical cost reduction potential, but their process maturity still lags.
By 2026, anode-free battery technology will also reach its mass production window. If successful, it could reshape the cost structure of anodes—a trend worth monitoring closely.
Battery storage is inherently inefficient. The dual conversion costs about 30% losses. Solar will never be a mainline power source, only a supporting power source.
Shams: “ Battery storage is inherently inefficient. The dual conversion costs about 30% losses. Solar will never be a mainline power source, only a supporting power source”
Solar+battery will not entirely replace the need for fossil fuel baseload power in the grid. But not because of “inefficiency” as you claim. It will be because there are countries with many cloudy days. Solar+battery will come very close to replacing baseload power in countries like Pakistan with lots of sunshine. Adding wind will make it even better.
Riaz: Your statement is purely hypothetical. You haven’t actually worked on either. A while back I sent to you and Suhail et al my computational work product on Solar for the city of Richmond and contra Costa County. That’s what it takes to be in a position to judge.
Shams: “Your statement is purely hypothetical. You haven’t actually worked on either”
I have personal experience with solar+battery. I can live off-grid except for a few rainy days in winter when I draw a small amount of power from the grid
Grid-Scale Battery Storage Is Quietly Revolutionizing the Energy System
This energy storage technology is harnessing the potential of solar and wind power—and its deployment is growing exponentially.
https://www.wired.com/story/grid-scale-battery-storage-is-quietly-revolutionizing-the-energy-system/
Making sure there are always enough generators spooled up to send electricity to every single power outlet in the country requires precise coordination. And while the amount of electricity actually used can swing drastically throughout the day and year, the grid is built to meet the brief periods of peak demand, like the hot summer days when air conditioning use can double average electricity consumption. Imagine building a 30-lane highway to make sure no driver ever has to tap their brakes. That’s effectively what those who design and run the grid have had to do.
But what if you could just hold onto electricity for a bit and save it for later? You wouldn’t have to overbuild the grid or spend so much effort keeping power generation in equilibrium with users. You could smooth over the drawbacks of intermittent power sources that don’t emit carbon dioxide, like wind and solar. You could have easy local backup power in emergencies when transmission lines are damaged. You may not even need a giant, centralized power grid at all.
That’s the promise of grid-scale energy storage. And while the US has actually been using a crude form of energy storage called pumped hydroelectric power storage for decades, the country is now experiencing a gargantuan surge in energy storage capacity, this time from a technology that most of us are carrying around in our pockets: lithium-ion batteries. Between 2021 and 2024, grid battery capacity increased fivefold. In 2024, the US installed 12.3 gigawatts of energy storage. This year, new grid battery installations are on track to almost double compared to last year. Battery storage capacity now exceeds pumped hydro capacity, totaling more than 26 gigawatts.
There’s still plenty of room to expand—and a pressing need to do so. The power sector remains the second-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the US, and there will be no way to add enough intermittent clean energy to sufficiently decarbonize the grid without cheap and plentiful storage.
The aging US grid is also in dire need of upgrades, and batteries can cushion the shock of adding gigawatts of wind and solar while buying some time to perform more extensive renovations. Some power markets are finally starting to understand all the services batteries can provide—frequency regulation, peak shaving, demand response—creating new lines of business. Batteries are also a key tool in building smaller, localized versions of the power grid. These microgrids can power remote communities with reliable power and one day shift the entire power grid into a more decentralized system that can better withstand disruptions like extreme weather.
If we can get it right, true grid-scale battery storage won’t just be an enabler of clean energy, but a way to upgrade the power system for a new era.
I happened to come across these reports from a couple of months ago on Pakistan's rapid two-wheeler electrification that could potentially ride on country's solar boom. It says that this year over 10% of two-wheeler registrations in Pakistan has been for electrics.
"Soaring costs, fuel shortage fears drive Pakistan to electric motorbikes"
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/soaring-costs-fuel-shortage-fears-drive-pakistan-electric-motorbikes-2026-04-07/
"Pakistan commuters switch to EV scooters as petrol prices soar"
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/pakistan-electric-vehicles-ev-scooters-bikes-fuel-prices-6146981
This paints a very similar situation to that in India where 1.9 lakh out of the 1.8 million two-wheelers (slightly more than 10%) sold in June 2026 have been electric scooters.
https://www.autocarindia.com/bike-news/electric-scooter-market-records-its-second-highest-monthly-sales-in-june-2026-440096
However, the Reuters article on Pakistan's 2W electrification also has an interesting graphic which says that after the fuel hikes at the end of March, a median Pakistani household spends 30.6% of its average daily spending on a litre of petrol as against 19.6% for the Indian counterpart. Since there has been a surge in solar power generation in Pakistan and the pressure of petrol price hikes during the last few months have been harder on Pakistani households than India's, the rate of Pakistan's vehicle electrification could potentially outpace India's in the future.
Another beneficiary from the growing popularity for e-scooters in the country could be Pakistani women whose 2W mobility appears to have lagged behind their Indian counterparts possibly due to the dearth of female-friendly step-through, automatic scooters on sale in Pakistan earlier. The widespread availability of electric scooters in Pakistan could help fix this gender imbalance on 2W mobility.
That said, the manufacturing side of 2W electrification in the two countries presents a contrasting picture however, with Pakistan's 2W electrification largely led by Chinese brands while in India the Chinese brands are essentially shut out leaving Indian brands to lead the e2W charge. (Japanese 2W brands like Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki who also sell ICE scooters in India have so far been lukewarm to the idea of electrification.)
Vineeth, did you notice the writer's names on Reuters article. Sorry, but i usually stop reading once I see an Indian name, specially when it is about Pakistan. In my opinion they have zero credibility.
G. Ali
G Ali,
Reuters report - By Ariba Shahid and Sudarshan Varadhan
CNA report - By Hira Mustafa
Ariba Shahid and Hira Mustafa are both Pakistani journalists. But if having an Indian name as a co-author questions the credibility of the Reuters article in your eyes, you may read the second CNA link. With the exception of the infographic on petrol consumption, it says pretty much the same thing.
And if it is the data on that Reuters infographic comparing the average spending on petrol by Indian and Pakistani households that you find questionable, do note that the article was published *after* Pakistani authorities announced a massive hike on petrol prices but *before* Indian authorities annouced theirs. India's initial hike was primarily on prices of commercial LPG (supplied to hotels, restaurants and other commercial establishments). Petrol price hikes came much later, and when it did it was relatively small (eg: INR 94/L to INR 102/L in Delhi, or approx 8%).
(By the way, since you happen to distrust Indian authors so much, I'm sure you lend zero credibility to Modi-bashing articles that routinely come in The Wire, Scroll, Caravan, The Quint, The Hindu, Frontline etc as well.)
Regards.
Shams, your figures are too outdated, you need to unlearn and get the solar prices trending over the last 4-5 years to understand the situation.
We installed 40kW solar in our office 2 years ago. Its net metering has no batteries, which was not even a serious choice for this big system in those days.
Our installation cost $17,000 with the following distribution: Panels 11k, inverter 2.8k, installation 3.2k. Or $425/kW.
Electricity at commercial rate applicable to our office is $0.36/kWHr ($0.21 for electricity + $0.15 as taxes).
Annual electricity produced ~40,000kWHr, a saving of $14,400 per year, resulting in a payout of 1.2 years.
Two years earlier, my sister installed a 12kW net metering system at her home that cost $9,000 or $750/kW. At the residential electricity rate of $0.23/kWHr, the payout comes to about 2.7 years
Pakistan government has discontinued the net metering policy and all new solar installations will now be on gross metering. With the high proportion of taxes and low repurchase price of electricity, it is no longer feasible to install solar systems without battery storage. With the rapid improvement in Chinese battery technology as well as solar panels and inverters becoming cheaper, home installations are starting to pick up again. A friend of mine installed a 22kW battery based system a few months back, it cost $500/kW.
These are a few instances that I have data on; Habiby is doing solar installations commercially so he knows the prices and price trends and can enlighten you more.
As regards comparing the US and Pakistan, prices of solar equipment will be lower in the US as Pakistan has high duties on solar imports. Installation cost will be higher in the US but that is a minor proportion of the total. Obviously right selection of equipment by experienced professionals is required for which you can contact Habiby if you want do develop further.
One thing for sure is that you need to scrap all your outdated knowhow on solar systems and start afresh.
Vineeth, I am old enough and have read enough articles to know that when an Indian writes about Pakistan 99.999% of the time they are against Pakistan to subtly try to malign Pakistan. Unfortunately that is in your DNA.
What I find amusing is that at a time when from your media to your pm has become a laughing stock you are obsessed with proving that more moter cycles were sold in your country.
https://share.google/V3lVwAMdiEsnwxrsd
G. Ali
G Ali,
I have no idea where (or how) you got that interesting statistic of 99.999% from, but I'm content to let you live with your notions than bother correcting them.
Auto industry and its trends and sales patterns happens to be an area of interest for me which is why I often quote them here. You may call it an "obsession" if you like. And yes, going by the publicly available data, India apparently does sell more motor vehicles per-capita than Pakistan. You may interpret it as you wish.
And oh, I have no problems with our PM or his paid media becoming a laughing stock since I often join in and poke fun at them myself.
Regards.
Vineeth,
1: Do you know what "figurative speaking" means?
2: Again why so much obsession?
G. Ali
G Ali,
1: Do you know what "sarcasm" means?
2: "Obsession" about what? Quoting vehicle sales statistics? I only mentioned them above since I happened to notice that the percentage of adoption of electric two-wheelers in India and Pakistan seemed similar (i.e. 10% of overall sales), and that it was mentioned in those articles that Pakistan's "solar boom" could give a boost for EV sales.
Regards.
Vineeth,
Riaz sb. posted an article on Pakistan's economy, out of 45 comments on it 19 are by you. Now, please tell me if "obsesson" is not the word then what term should I use for it?
G. Ali
G Ali,
- "Riaz sb. posted an article on Pakistan's economy, out of 45 comments on it 19 are by you."
On that article on Pakistan's economy and further comments down below, Riaz Sb described Pakistan's large informal economy as a source of strength while India made a "mistake" of formalizing its informal economy too quickly, that India overestimates the size of its informal economy while Pakistan understates it, that India's GDP may be overstated by "22% to 31%" (quoting Arvind Subramanian's assessment) and that average Indian citizen's living standards is lower than official data (implying that even with its 5.5-6 times larger population India's GDP is at best 3 times larger than Pakistan's "$1 trillion economy" and therefore the average Pakistani citizen's living standards are higher than India's), and then went on to quote a Chinese chap who insinuated that India does not have a "manufacturing system" to automate or factories "that produce reliably year after year".
In reply, I explained how Pakistan's large undocumented economy is more likely a source of its weakness than strength by contributing little to tax revenues and driving up imports through consumption rather than exports, thereby pushing the country to recurring balance of payment crises necessitating IMF bailouts, and how this "$1 trillion economy" would inevitably contract if it were formalized and taxed like India's (and leaving smaller disposable income in the hands of the people), and how India's motor vehicle sales numbers that are 11x for two-wheelers and 22x for cars in comparison to Pakistan doesn't seem to tally with the narrative of a poorer India and a more affluent Pakistan or that of India's GDP being only 3 times larger than Pakistan's, and that India does have a relatively large and well developed "manufacturing ecosystem" with the example of its auto sector having factories "that produce reliably year after year" contributing to domestic sales as well as exports.
I hope this explains the "obsession" and answers your question.
Regards.
Shams:
I'm also providing Technical assistance for Solar System and even installing small system in houses and commercial offices presently only in Karachi. My below comments are based on practical experience and not bookish knowledge.
For a 12kW home solar recommended is 12 kW panels + 12 kW hybrid inverter + 16 kWh LiFePO₄ battery.
In Pakistan, current market indications for a 12 kW hybrid system are roughly PKR 1.65–1.95 million with around a 16 kWh battery, while 12 kW packages without battery are around PKR 1.3–1.4 million.
In California, a 12 kW solar system with 16 kW battery costs much higher, roughly US$35,000–55,000 for the following reasons:
1- Solar panels: These are the most similar. Many of the world's largest manufacturers supply both Pakistan and California, such as LONGi Green Energy, JA Solar, JinkoSolar, Trina Solar, Canadian Solar etc. Eg, A 600 W LONGi panel sold in Pakistan is basically the same product as one sold in California.
2- Inverters: This is where the markets differ more. In Pakistan, Hybrid inverters commonly installed include Solis, Growatt, Deye, Huawei, Sungrow etc. These are excellent products and are widely used everywhere in the world.
From a purely technical perspective, American or European inverters are not superior to Chinese; in fact Chinese products are superior in many cases, for example: Huawei's utility-scale inverter technology is regarded as among the best in the industry. Deye and Growatt have improved significantly in reliability and features over the last several years. Sungrow is one of the world's largest inverter manufacturers. Most of these Chinese manufacturers now offer efficiencies of 98–99%, dual MPPTs, sophisticated battery management integration, and remote monitoring - standard features that exceed most Western brands.
3- Batteries: This is where the main cost difference lies. Many American systems now use exactly the same LiFePO₄ cells manufactured by companies such as CATL, EVE Energy, Gotion High-Tech, and BYD that are in batteries sold in Pakistan. But most California residents and installers prefer batteries from brands such as Tesla etc. These are more expensive, lower or at best equal in quality to the Chinese.
In a complete solar installation in California, the total equipment cost is only on the order of US$9,000–15,000, including shipping. Yet a turnkey installed system in California can easily cost US$40,000–50,000. The difference is largely the associated costs, not the hardware itself. Hardware may represent only about 20–30% of the final residential system price, the remaining attributable to overheads, sales costs, installation and related costs, and profits.
So instead of dismissing solar systems as technically and commercially non viable for the California market, you should concentrate on doing this business. Within a couple of years you'll be earning much more than all of your other ventures put together.
Ahmed: " most California residents and installers prefer batteries from brands such as Tesla etc. These are more expensive, lower or at best equal in quality to the Chinese"
I have 2 Tesla Powerwall 3 batteries (2X13.5kWh) installed at my house for a 12 kW system in California. These use Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery chemistry. It's a change from the previous Powerwall 2, which used Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) cells.
Batteries have now become essential after the introduction of NEM 3.0 that pays almost nothing for any electricity you export to the grid. You're better off storing the solar power you produce during the day to use it at night. Batteries also maintain power to your house during outages.
My total cost was $60,000, including construction of two concrete pads on the ground for the batteries, and the installation of a new main electric panel that needed to be upgraded to comply with the latest code.
My net was $42,000 after 30% federal credit which expired last year under Trump.
Vineeth,
There you go again with your "two-wheeler" obsession.
So, you don't agree with his statement and in response you posted 19 comments?
When i mentioned Dalit / caste three times you accused me of having an obsession but posting 19 messages and mentioning "two wheerler" a gazillion times is not an obsession?
Sad part is you will never realize your own faults.
Let's see what other kakamimi story you come up with now.
G. Ali
Pakistan's Solar Boom Is Rewriting the Global South's Economic Development
https://youtu.be/EKJqOh2hqmA?is=nkcpeipDe4CJKrO0
In just two years, the country installed an astonishing 27 GW of distributed solar—roughly equivalent to the capacity of every coal, gas and oil power plant ever built in Pakistan. The result isn't simply more renewable energy. It's the rapid electrification of homes, farms, businesses and industry, powered by some of the cheapest solar panels ever manufactured.
Ember's Dave Jones explains why Pakistan's experience could become the blueprint for dozens of developing countries. We discuss cheap Chinese solar, electrification, batteries, economic development, LNG demand, EVs and why distributed energy may allow the Global South to leapfrog the fossil-fuel model that powered the industrial revolution.
If Pakistan is the first large-scale proof that distributed solar can transform an economy, the implications reach far beyond South Asia.
I think this framing better reflects the interview's central argument: this isn't primarily a climate story—it's an economic development story driven by disruptive technology. That theme comes through repeatedly in the discussion.
Habibi: "So instead of dismissing solar systems as technically and commercially non viable for the California market, you should concentrate on doing this business. Within a couple of years you'll be earning much more than all of your other ventures put together"
People make money so many different ways. Our Imambargah has a couple of SolarOne and SunSolar sales guys sort of begging to buy solar from them. They hopefully make money or they wouldn't be there day after day.
Nothing you say is any different from what I have said. You have Pakistani experience of installing, and I have California experience of recommending. It is more comfortable and better paying to consult than climbing the roof to install the panels.
Finally: thinking that what Chinese companies sell in PK are the same products as what Chinese sell to California. California environmental laws would bar almost 90% of what goes to PK.
Dear Shams.
I am a bit ahead of you in Solar field here in Pakistan as we first consult the client and give them the proposal and then install which you are not capable of doing.
Moreover i don't have to climb on roof to install the panel but have well equipped team to perform these operation. If you remember i made the ASF poles in my workshop so if i can make these American design product then fabrication of Solar stand and installation of Panels is a very small job for me.
Further as you say that the plates which China export to USA is entirely different from which they send to Pakistan is also not correct as recently my friend visited a Chinese factory in Guangzhou and told me that the factory was producing almost all brands which are available in Pakistan namely "Trana" " Janko" Longie" etc. etc. and the same stuff they were exporting to other countries
Further the Technical spec of all above brands are almost the same depending on the Wattage of Plates .Just saying that the Solar plate of America is better then what is available in Pakistan is a "Pandu Concept"
You need to compare the spec of Pakistani plate with the one available in USA and only then can give some statement , so if you send me the spec of your plate then i can compare it with our one which i suppose will be almost same ,. The main spec for comparison are,
1. Rated Max Power (W)
2.Open Circuit Voltage (Vmax)
3.Max Power Voltage.
4.Short Circuit Current (Isc)
5.Max Power current
Shams:
While Habiby has updated you on the technicalities of solar installations, your environmental perception needs to change as solar power generation is the best from the environmental standpoint.
I have to reiterate my earlier comment that you need to change your mindset from engine based to solar following the thermodynamic principles. To refresh you on the basics of conversion of one form of energy to the useful forms, which are work and electrical energy. The present day practice is to get these useful forms by converting chemical energy from stored fossil fuels that have high energy content and before usage are environmentally in natural equilibrium and are not damaging. These fuels when converted through the use of engines release large amounts of heat and exhaust emissions that are environmental threats. While it is impossible thermodynamically to eliminate the environmental impact, regulations limit these pollutants by fixing limits. Solar systems therefore easily meet the present day environmental limits.
However, safety and permitting regulations should obviously be more stringent in California compared to Pakistan. Each installation typically requires structural calculations, electrical design, multiple permits, utility interconnection approvals and inspections. All of this is paid engineering and administrative work, besides profits, covered in installation costs and has nothing to do with the quality of solar equipment supplied by OEMs.
In Pakistan, solar installations on two storey buildings are exempt from structural designs approvals from the permitting authorities. For industrial and commercial installation, approvals are required from the building control authorities' licensed structural engineers. As part of our( engineering we do structural designs for such installations (for clients) for submission to the authority. Design wind speed is 120 km/hr for Karachi. For home solar installations, installers have standardized designs, that always are rooftop installations. For our office, we checked the standard design before installation. A few months back, there was a windstorm in Karachi where wind speed was 97 km/hr. In Karachi where every other building is two storeys with rooftop solar, damages were marginal.
Electrical interconnections and grounding requires utility company inspection and approvals.
So it's time for you to update your software to include solar energy. I'm pretty sure you would not have done technical consultancy for the last 5 years or so. With your updated knowhow, you can get consultancy assignments again.
World Bank Boosts Pakistan's Grid for Reliable Clean Energy
https://www.miragenews.com/world-bank-boosts-pakistans-grid-for-reliable-1707915/#google_vignette
WASHINGTON, July 09, 2026 - The World Bank's Board of Executive Directors today approved US$375.9 million in financing for Pakistan's Grid Stability Enhancement Project, to strengthen its national power transmission network under the Boosting Energy Security through Transmission in Pakistan (BEST-PAK) Multiphase Programmatic Approach (MPA). The Project is the first phase of a 10-year program to help Pakistan modernize its electricity transmission network, reduce power outages, and bring more clean energy to homes, businesses, and industries.
"Pakistan's energy challenges are deeply interconnected with its broader economic stability," said Bolormaa Amgaabazar, World Bank Country Director for Pakistan. "By investing in advanced technologies for more resilient transmission infrastructure, this project will contribute to reducing electricity costs, bring more renewable energy onto the grid, and lay the groundwork for a power sector that works better for households, businesses and industries, as well as overall Pakistan's economy."
Pakistan's electricity network has long struggled with grid instability and transmission bottlenecks that limit the delivery of reliable power and leave clean energy generation underutilized. These constraints affect millions of Pakistanis every day through frequent outages, higher electricity costs, and lost economic opportunities.
The project will install advanced equipment to stabilize the transmission grid and improve the flow of electricity at key substations. This includes Static Synchronous Compensators, or STATCOMs, - at three major 500 kV substations, as well as fixed reactors and capacitor banks across 26 grid substations. These upgrades will help bring 640 MW of currently curtailed wind energy onto the grid, enabling the full use of 1,840 MW of wind capacity in southern Pakistan by moving power to major demand centers. They will also support the integration of approximately 491 MW of planned private sector-led renewable energy projects. Together, these improvements will help Pakistan move toward its national commitment of achieving 60 percent renewable energy in its electricity mix by 2030, in line with the country's Nationally Determined Contribution under the Paris Agreement. Over its lifetime, the project is expected to avoid approximately 832,500 tons of CO₂ emissions each year, or more than 20.8 million tons cumulatively over 25 years.
"A reliable and modern transmission grid is essential for Pakistan's energy future," said Waleed Saleh Alsuraih, Lead Energy Specialist for the World Bank's BEST‑PAK program in Pakistan. "As the first phase of the BEST-PAK program, it unlocks a pathway to large-scale clean energy deployment, stronger energy security, and a modern, commercially oriented transmission sector through targeted infrastructure investments and institutional reforms, creating the conditions for future private capital participation."
The project also advances the Government's ongoing transmission-sector reform agenda, centered on the restructuring of National Transmission & Dispatch Company (NTDC) into specialized successor entities. Drawing on relevant international experience adapted to Pakistan's needs, it supports faster implementation of reforms designed to strengthen governance, accountability, operational performance, and the long-term sustainability of the power sector.
Pakistan is among the countries most exposed to climate-related risks, including river and urban flooding and extreme heat events. The project's design accounts for these realities, by requiring all new installations to meet climate-resilient specifications, including elevated platforms above ground to mitigate flood exposure and equipment designed to operate in temperatures of up to 55°C. These measures will help ensure reliable performance during monsoon seasons and heatwaves.
Pakistan's Solar Boom Is Rewriting the Global South's Economic Development
https://youtu.be/EKJqOh2hqmA?is=nkcpeipDe4CJKrO0
Pakistan has quietly become one of the world's most important energy stories.
In just two years, the country installed an astonishing 27 GW of distributed solar—roughly equivalent to the capacity of every coal, gas and oil power plant ever built in Pakistan. The result isn't simply more renewable energy. It's the rapid electrification of homes, farms, businesses and industry, powered by some of the cheapest solar panels ever manufactured.
Ember's Dave Jones explains why Pakistan's experience could become the blueprint for dozens of developing countries. We discuss cheap Chinese solar, electrification, batteries, economic development, LNG demand, EVs and why distributed energy may allow the Global South to leapfrog the fossil-fuel model that powered the industrial revolution.
If Pakistan is the first large-scale proof that distributed solar can transform an economy, the implications reach far beyond South Asia.
I think this framing better reflects the interview's central argument: this isn't primarily a climate story—it's an economic development story driven by disruptive technology. That theme comes through repeatedly in the discussion.
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Refrigerator Sales Surge in Pakistan
Pakistan's refrigerator market accounts for ~56% of the country's major household appliances sector. Market penetration sits around 51-56%, with unit sales expected to surge 20% to 339,000 units in CY26. Industry leaders include Haier, Dawlance, Pak Elektron Limited (PAEL), and Waves.
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EV Sales Surge in Pakistan
Electric vehicle adoption in Pakistan is exploding in the two-wheeler sector due to soaring fuel costs and the new Pakistan Accelerated Vehicle Electrification (PAVE) program. Electric-bike registrations surged by 322% year-on-year with cumulative sales reaching 125,511 units by May, capturing over 10% of the monthly two-wheeler market.
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Air conditioner (AC) Sales Surge in Pakistan
Pakistan's air conditioning sector represents a massive market estimated at Rs 190 billion annually. However, in June 2026, the industry experienced a supply glut as delayed summer rains and later heatwaves caused consumer demand to lag behind aggressive manufacturer production targets.
The manufacturing sector performed strongly, posting an expansion of 6.6 per cent in 2025-26 compared with 2pc in the preceding year.
https://www.dawn.com/news/2007197
This improvement was primarily driven by a 6.5pc rebound in Large-Scale Manufacturing (LSM), 8.5pc surge in Small-Scale Manufacturing (SSM), and 6.2pc growth in slaughtering.
The manufacturing and mining sectors are critical to Pakistan’s industrial base and jointly contribute 13.5pc to GDP. Within manufacturing, LSM plays a dominant role, accounting for 67.4pc of the sector and 8.2pc of GDP, followed by SSM and slaughtering, which contribute 2.5pc and 1.4pc to GDP, respectively.
However, the mining and quarrying sector posted a modest growth of 0.4pc in FY26, indicating a gradual recovery in extraction activities.
The survey has highlighted that LSM grew by 6.5pc during July-March 2025-26, indicating a broad-based revival in industrial activity, compared to a 1.9pc contraction in the same period last year, which was primarily a continuation of the contraction that began in FY23 due to import restrictions.
In March alone, LSM expanded by 11.1pc, compared with a contraction of 2.4pc a year ago.
Automobile sector
The survey said that the auto industry showed growth across all sectors during July-March FY26, except for farm tractor sector, where production and sales were down by 8pc and 13pc, respectively. Additionally, wartime conditions have significantly increased costs for local tractor OEMs.
The survey highlighted that the auto sector had seen rising investment and was adopting new technologies, and that the industry was well-positioned to maintain its growth trajectory.
Pakistan’s Rs 328 billion major appliance market is recovering rapidly, led by Air Conditioners (23% share, ~190B) and Refrigerators (56%). Driven by rising temperatures, expanding solar power, and economic stability, PAEL projects 20% growth in CY2026, with sales expected to exceed 105,000 ACs and 339,000 refrigerators.The market is fiercely competitive, dominated by local and international manufacturing giants. Key dynamics and brands include:Market Leaders: Top players like Haier, Dawlance, and Pak Elektron (PAEL) command the majority of the market.Air Conditioners: This is the fastest-growing major appliance segment. Waves Corporation is aggressively expanding back into this category using Completely Knocked Down (CKD) strategies to avoid import bottlenecks.Deep Freezers: Waves retains a ~40% market share, with PAEL holding another 15%.Refrigerator Penetration: Household penetration remains at 51%, leaving substantial long-term growth potential for manufacturers.Solar Integration: The rise in distributed solar generation is driving notable shifts in appliance demand, allowing consumers to efficiently run cooling appliances (fans, ACs) during daylight hours.
India’s electrification rate is nearly 20%, comparable to China’s level in 2012, and is growing relentlessly by around five percentage points per decade.
https://ember-energy.org/latest-insights/indias-electrotech-fast-track-where-china-built-on-coal-india-is-building-on-sun/
India’s electrification rate is nearly 20%, comparable to China’s level in 2012, and is growing relentlessly by around five percentage points per decade.
https://ember-energy.org/latest-insights/indias-electrotech-fast-track-where-china-built-on-coal-india-is-building-on-sun/
Pakistan's electricity generation mix has rapidly shifted toward renewable energy, driven by a massive distributed solar boom. As of recent 2025–2026 data, grid-connected and behind-the-meter solar accounts for roughly 25-28% of the country's generation. Overall, low-carbon and zero-emission sources now make up over 55% of Pakistan's total generated electricity. [1, 2, 3]
https://ember-energy.org/latest-insights/the-solarisation-of-pakistans-energy-economy/
The breakdown of Pakistan's electricity generation includes the following sources:
Solar & Distributed Renewables: ~25% to 28%
Hydropower: ~24% to 29%
Fossil Fuels (Thermal): ~35% to 40% (comprising a mix of imported coal, domestic coal, natural gas, and furnace oil)
Nuclear Power: ~9% to 11%
Wind: ~3% to 5% [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Key Trends:
The Solar Transition: Over the last two years, national electricity demand surged by 21%, with the entirety of this growth met by behind-the-meter residential and commercial solar installations. This explosive growth—totaling an estimated 38 GW of distributed solar capacity—has lowered daytime reliance on the national grid. [1]
Long-Term Goals: Under its clean energy transition plan, Pakistan aims for 58% of its overall electricity generation to stem from renewable sources by 2030. [1]
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