Pakistan’s solar revolution rewriting energy landscape; 22 GW of solar panels imported in 18 months

Liaquat Ali

Islamabad: Pakistan’s solar revolution is rewriting the energy landscape as communities and businesses take control of their power supply. With 22 GW of solar panels imported in just 18 months, the country is undergoing a mass shift towards decentralized solar solutions.

This was discussed at the Great Solar Rush Conference 2025, hosted by Renewables First and the Pakistan Solar Association on Thursday, said a press release.

In her opening remarks, Senator Sherry Rehman emphasized the urgency of policy alignment with this people-led transformation, stating, “Pakistan has emerged as a market leader in South Asia for solar adoption. We should not be disabling this revolution; we should be enabling it.” She warned that failure to integrate solar into national planning would stall Pakistan’s progress on energy security and economic stability.

Zeeshan Ashfaq, CEO of Renewables First, highlighted the economic realities driving this transition. “Millions of people are rushing towards installing solar PV panels—not because of climate change but because economics make perfect sense.”

Ali Majid, General Manager of Longi, proposed that public sector projects should be mandated to use ‘Made in Pakistan’ panels to attract international investment in local assembly plants.

Waqas Moosa, Chairman of the Pakistan Solar Association, reinforced that Pakistan’s solar adoption rate is one of the highest globally.

Syed Faizan Ali Shah, Member of the Prime Minister’s Solarization Committee, revealed that Pakistan’s daytime electricity demand has fallen by 10 TWh annually due to the solar surge, creating imbalances for grid operators.

Dr. Fiaz Chaudhary, Chairman of NTDC, said to address the operational challenges, Pakistan’s grid must urgently integrate smart metering and distributed energy controls.

Umer Farooq of LUMS Energy Institute emphasized that Pakistan’s energy planning must shift from a top-down approach to decentralized, smart-grid solutions to balance supply and demand efficiently.

As solar becomes a dominant energy source, market liberalization through the Competitive Trading Bilateral Contract Market (CTBCM) is essential.

Salman Amin, a Member of the Competition Commission of Pakistan, stated, “A competitive electricity market will lead to more efficient resource allocation, increased innovation, better service quality, and stakeholder adoption of cleaner, cost-effective technologies”.

Industry representatives present at the event stressed the need for lowering wheel charges in the CTBCM model to promote market participation.

While commenting on the monopolistic nature of the power sector Usama Mela, Member of the National Assembly and Member of the Energy & Economy Forum, commented that as long as independent power producers are subject to guaranteed returns, they do not represent competitive businesses.

He agreed that greater competition in the power sector is the sensible way forward. However, it must be considered within the larger context of grid issues and capacity payments.

Member of National Assembly Dr. Nafisa Shah emphasized that there is a need to gradually open up the power sector for competitive trade under the CTBCM model while also considering the past contracts and decisions that are clogging the system.

Sonia Dunlop, CEO of the Global Solar Council, delivered the closing remarks, highlighting Pakistan’s remarkable solar growth on the global stage. “Pakistan was the market that surprised so many all over the world,” she stated, noting that Pakistan is contributing significantly to the 600 GW of solar deployed worldwide in 2023.

The conference reinforced a message: Pakistan’s solar transition is unstoppable.