Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Solar energy is becoming popular among the people day by day and its demand is on the rise in rural as well as urban areas equally in the face of the unprecedented loss being caused to the citizens in the form of destruction of domestic appliances due to low voltage and unannounced loadshedding. According to a survey report, loadshedding could not be finished in this year despite tall claims by the government and the people have to spend their summer season amid scorching and sweltering hot weather due to power outages. The solar panel demand rose by 200 percent this year, as compared to last year and the private and public offices, and schools have started relying on solar panels to ensure smooth flow of work, the report said. The country is facing a deficit of some 5,000 megawatts but the government was continuously denying the fact, it added. It further said that the government was determined to switch over the existing electric system in the government offices from hydal power to solar system ahead of the upcoming general elections so that the menace of loadshedding could be controlled. The sun warmth in our country is unprecedented and if we compare sun radiation and temperature with Germany it would reveal that electricity can be produced in Pakistan 33 percent more than Germany through solar panels, it added. “Germany had generated 45.5 percent gaga watts solar energy this year in the month of May, while Pakistan’s overall demand stood at 45.8 gaga watts. The farmers in large number are installing solar tubewells. The solar panels companies from other countries are being invited in Pakistan to expand and boost solar system work in the country so that inexpensive and quality solar panels could be manufactured in Pakistan”, the report said. It is expected in the market that now solar energy will be the number one choice of consumers, as this is the only option for the citizens to get rid of power outages, which is durable and workable for longer period, it added. Shah Nawaz Qureshi is living in a small village in district Layyah of Southern Punjab. While talking to the Daily Times, he said the electricity facility is next to nil in their areas and the electronic gadgets and equipment were burnt due to low voltage adding that the unannounced power outages forced them to explore new sources of energy. When our domestic appliances were destroyed due to low voltage then we decided to install solar panels, he said.