Pakistan’s rooftop solar generation is expected to surpass daytime power demand in key industrial hubs next year, marking a historic milestone in the country’s renewable energy growth, officials said.
The surge follows a boom in solar panel installations that have reduced household electricity bills and lowered national emissions, though utility companies face challenges from declining grid consumption and high debt.
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Aisha Moriani, climate change ministry secretary, said Lahore, Faisalabad, and Sialkot could experience “negative grid-linked demand” during bright afternoons, as behind-the-meter solar completely offsets electricity drawn from the national grid.
The phenomenon mirrors trends seen in Europe and Australia but would be unprecedented in a major emerging market, demonstrating Pakistan’s rapid transition to distributed solar energy in industrial and urban centers.
Authorities plan to introduce new tariffs for large solar users and adjust fee structures to ensure businesses contribute fairly to grid maintenance, even as overall power consumption grows 3-4% annually.
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The solar boom has also prompted Pakistan to renegotiate LNG contracts with Qatar and cancel some deliveries from Italy’s Eni, seeking lower costs, flexible schedules, and reduced reliance on imported fossil fuels.
Moriani emphasized that Pakistan’s priority is aligning gas imports with fiscal space, demand trends, and seasonal patterns, ensuring stable, affordable energy while allowing renewable energy adoption to continue expanding.