Pakistan imported approximately 15 GW of solar panels valued at $2.1 billion from China in the last fiscal year, as reported in a study titled The Great Solar Rush in Pakistan. The study noted that rising electricity tariffs, which have surged by 155 percent over the past three years, are driving high-consumption households and industries toward solar energy solutions.
This shift has led to a 10.4 percent reduction in grid electricity demand over the past year, with expectations of further declines. Such trends underscore the need for modernizing Pakistan’s grid and revising demand forecasts to support decentralized energy generation. Additionally, the ongoing drop in battery prices is expected to accelerate solar adoption, making urgent grid adaptation critical for sustaining the financial health of Pakistan’s utility model.
During the study launch on Thursday, analysts from global and local spheres highlighted Pakistan’s swift move to solar as a distinct “solar rush” driven by rising energy costs, decreasing technology prices, and strong import momentum. The study by Renewables First underlines Pakistan’s increasing role in renewable energy among developing nations, as noted by various experts at the event.
“Pakistan’s solarisation drive is indeed impressive, but we have also seen these trends being replicated in other emerging markets,” commented Jenny Chase, a Solar Analyst at Bloomberg NEF. “What makes Pakistan unique is the rapid nature of these additions,” she added.
With 27 GW of imports since 2020, Pakistan’s market is seen as globally significant, showing substantial growth across residential, industrial, and agricultural sectors. On the matter of adapting grid infrastructure to support this growth, Syed Faizan Ali, a member of the Prime Minister’s Solarisation Committee, remarked, “With strong policy alignment, we can harness this growth while addressing these operational challenges.”
