Much good news has come out of Solar Pakistan 2017, the recent three-day exhibition on renewable energy that was hosted in the country. The biggest headline grabber was the disclosure that Pakistan has 2.9 million megawatts of solar energy potential, in addition to photovoltaic opportunities. These are the processes whereby semi-conductors are used to convert light to electricity. Even better news is that the government has pledged to explore this immense potential. Though it does seem somewhat akin to bolting the door long after the horse has bolted. Pakistan, after all, has been plagued by hours upon hours of loadshedding (not to mention gas shortages) on a daily basis since 2007. The situation has been even worse in remote areas of the country, some of which have enjoyed no more than a few hours of electricity in the morning. And although the levels of power outages have fallen dramatically over the last year – nothing can recover the losses incurred by the national exchequer. That said, with Pakistan enjoying up around nine hours of sunshine a day, the time has come to look towards the future. The sun is the most reliable renewable energy source we have. A solar installation can produce power virtually free of cost for more than a century, following initial installation costs, which are admittedly high. In the long-term, however, this will prove the most affordable option for bringing electricity to far-flung areas that are home to small and scattered communities. The cost of solar — and wind turbine-powered electricity is more economically feasible as compared to that produced by conventional thermal power plants, running on fossil fuel which then has to be transported to remote areas. The entire process produces a per capita cost deficit. In short, responsibility for investing in Pakistan’s energy future should be taken by the political establishment as a whole; that is, across party lines. It needs to come together to support efforts in building solar power plants, which should ultimately extend across the whole country. Moreover, incentives should be considered to encourage the citizenry to opt for renewable energy sources for their homes as well as commercial buildings. There really is no time to lose. *