Here's a Nation report on solar lighting for a Sindh village:

KARACHI - Pakistan still has thousands of villages that are not electrified and routine activities of villagers therein are limited to sunlight. Nevertheless, in a unique project, 115 households of Jhimpir area of Thatta district have been electrified through solar energy. The project has been implemented by the Centre for Environment & Development (CEAD) with the support of the USAID’s Ambassadors Fund Programme. The villages covered by the project are off grid and received electricity for the first time through solar systems. The area has moderate weather and average sunshine availability ranges from six to eight hours. The area is most suitable for the use of 40-watt solar house system that fulfils the requirements of the average household size for about four to five hours during the night time. Each solar unit consists of two energy savers of eight-watt, one for room and one for courtyard, and one portable emergency light to be used during night-time, one mobilephone charger to charge mobile phones that help the beneficiaries to have effective communication.CEAD Chief Executive Prof Qalander Shah said that people residing in far-flung and off-grid areas still used kerosene lamps and other forms of energy, especially during night-time for their security as well as of their livestock and other belongings. However, these communities use kerosene lamps for only a couple of hours because kerosene oil is costly and harmful for health as smoke emitted by it causes asthma and eye-related diseases.Observing that all economic activities were directly dependent on energy, CEAD Director Dr Ali Murtaza Dharejo and said that with provision of 115 household solar systems, life of Jhimpir families would be changed. The solution is long lasting and sustainable as it is based on renewable resources. He said that solar energy was not only cost-effective but also environment-friendly and was without any operation and maintenance cost. He said that the provision of solar systems at the household level would certainly bring far reaching benefits to communities, who earlier had no source of electricity. He added that the use of kerosene oil for lighting brought many health problems and as a result, poor people in rural areas were struck down with many diseases.

http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-onli...

Here's a report on Punjab govt's Ujala solar lights scheme:

Punjab Govt Ujala Solar Lamp Kits Scheme For Students Launched by the Chief Minister of Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif as under this scheme around 5,000 students of Pakistan government schools in the whole Province Punjab can get solar energy kits and table lamps so this will help then in studying in the day and night during load shedding in Punjab.

In the first session of this table lamps and Solar kits distribution scheme there are 36 districts of Punjab us under consideration. This scheme is given a name of “Ujaala Scheme” as it will bring light in the students life so they are not disturbed by the load shedding even in the load shedding hours at night they can study and this will help in strengthen our country.

After the first phase in the second phase the same number of Lamps and Solar kits will be distributed among those who are new comers and are most junior. So those students who are in 9th class and obtained 50 to 55 percent marks in the annual board exams will be able to get these lamps and solar kits which also has chargers and bulbs in it. These solar system are so much power full that it can provide up to 18 consecutive hours light if there is a sunny weather not rainy or cloudy.

Students will be able to get these lamps an solar kits in the next month that is December the schedule for the distribution of solar kits are not yet announced by the any officials but officials just declared that it would be in December anywhere. These Solar Energy kits have these silent features

Solar PV 30Wp
Battery 12 V, 30 Ah SLA Gel type Battery
Battery charger
LEDs 3×5 W each of 100 lumens
Charge Controller 10 A with LVD (Low voltage disconnect)
Load Limitter
DC Wires with LED Holders
Mobile Phone Charging facility
System Autonomy 3 days
Reverse Polarity protection provision

http://ilm.com.pk/education-news/news/punjab-govt-ujala-solar-lamp-...

Here's PV Magazine on solar pumps in Pakistan:

The solar company Phaesun GmbH from Memmingen has installed 200 solar water pumping systems in 12 districts in Pakistan.

The latest systems were successfully put into operation together with the Pakistani partner Izhar Energy by December 2012 in the district of Sukkur. The project has been initiated and financed by the United Nations Development Programme UNDP to counteract the destructive tidal flood in Pakistan in the summer of 2010.

Thousands of families will benefit from the project that secures the water supply for drinking water, irrigation and livestock farming. The people in Pakistan still suffer from the devastating consequences of the flood disaster in 2010: Thousands of people lost their lives, 6 million people urgently needed humanitarian aid, the infrastructure was severly damaged in many parts of the country.

Even the water supply was disastrous in many places. Clean drinking water was often only available after having covered long distances. Organised water supply for agriculture and livestock farming was often not existent in many places. The UNDP-project aims at a sustainable water supply for local communities by means of renewable energies.

In twelve districts of Pakistan, local communities have been identified where the water supply was almost completely disrupted. The 200 solar water pumping systems have been individually sized according to the needs on site such as water amount and pumping head and were installed from November 2011 until December 2012. The systems use pumps of the manufacturer Grundfos which are operated with solar modules between 400 and 700 watts.

Russom Semere, managing engineer at Phaesun reports: "It was an enormous logistical effort to realise that project. The infrastructure in many regions of Pakistan has not yet been rebuilt. The components often had to be taken to their point of destination with the help of donkey carts and boats. The project could be realised in the first place due to the cooperation with the local partner Izhar Energy and the UNDP members on the spot!"

The project has a sustainable effect on the development of the affected regions. "The local communities are enthusiastic and grateful," Faiz Butta, managing director of the Pakistani solar company Izhar Energy reports. "They are now responsible for the operation of the pumps. During the time of installation, we carried out detailed training courses for the local community authorities.

"When we visited systems we had already installed the year before, I could convince myself that they have been perfectly maintained and serviced. The responsible authorities are aware of the fact that the economic development of their communities depends on the water supply of agriculture and livestock farming."

The UNDP initiated and financed the project, Phaesun sized the systems, prepared and supplied the components. The logistics and installation on site was organised together with the local partner Izhar Energy.

http://www.pv-magazine.com/services/press-releases/details/beitrag/...

Here's a Daily Times report on solar lights in Pak villages:

Creating a new micro-finance system to empower women with a unique blend of production of much-needed renewable energy to electrify over 50,000 power-deprived villages of Pakistan is the best ever innovation so far being implemented successfully by Bukhsh Foundation in various villages of Punjab.

Over 100,000 villagers are the direct beneficiaries of this project under which solar lanterns have been provided to around 50 houses each in 40 selected villages of Punjab where electricity was an imaginary thing for people, even in this modern era of second decade of the 21st century. Hence the project has achieved 10 percent of its target, 90 percent is left to reach the mark of lighting one million lives.

The project titled Lighting a Million Lives (LaML) has been implemented successfully in 10 villages of Sahiwal, besides achievements in Lodhran, Minawali, DG Khan, Dera Ismel Khan and other villages.

The cost of the project in one village is $5,500 (over Rs 50,000).

Besides lightening their house and proving these villagers the facility to continue their household work with an ease at night, mobile charging units have also been installed and sustainable employment opportunities have been created for over-40 needy women of these village. These women are now known as “roshna bibi” or “light lady” in the village. These chargeable lanterns remain active 6-8 hours depending on selection of light strength mode. Light charging system have been installed in the house of light ladies and this charging system is connected to the solar panels installed on the rooftops of their homes.

Each light lady charges Rs 4 to charge the lantern with the solar system every time and out of this amount she deposits Re 1 to a bank’s account for repair works, while the rest of Rs 3 is her earning. She earns around Rs 1,000 a day to support her family. Most needy women – mostly widows – have been selected to make them self reliant under this micro-credit project, launched with the help of various donors. The villagers have been provided lanterns free of cost.

Buksh Foundation, a concern of HKB Group, was established in 2009 with its two offices in Lahore – in Shahdara and Township – to provide soft loans of up to Rs 100,000. Later, Buksh Energy, a sister concern of the foundation, was also established, when CEO Faiza Farhan met with Indian Nobel laureate Dr Pachauri, who is also the director of Teri Technical Energy Resource Institute, at an energy summit in New Delhi.

India’s Teri institute was already working on this project and they had provided electricity to some 260-plus villages in the last few years.

Now, this model is also available in Uganda and Bangladesh.

With some innovations and local wisdom, Ms Faiza brought this project to Pakistan. Now, Teri is the technical partner of Buksh Energy. Out of total 40 villages, Coca-Cola provided funds for lightening of 15 villages in Sahiwal, Jahangir Tareen supported 14 villages in Lodran, USAID supported 15 villages in Bahawalpur and Imran Khan Foundation supported three villages – one each in Mianwali, DG Khan and Dera Ismael Khan. Engro Corp, Silk Banks, Bank Alfalah and UBL are some other donors....

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2013%5C05%5C21%5Cstor...

Here's a pv magazine report of a local NGO working to light up Pakistani villagers' homes:

Working with local and international partners like Coca-Cola, China Mobile's Zong, the Imran Khan Foundation and Engro Corporation, Pakistan's Buksh Foundation has set a goal of illuminating 4,000 off-grid villages by 2017.

Pakistani village Chak 113
The village of Chak 113, in Punjab's Sahiwal District, installs its new lantern charging station.
Buksh Foundation
As part of a pilot project to increase the use of solar power, the Lahore-based microfinance institute Buksh Foundation and the Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in India, working with national and international partners, have electrified 72 off-grid villages in Pakistan's Punjab province.

The Buksh Foundation, launched in 2009 by Pakistani retail giant Buksh Group, has sought to increase financial inclusion for rural and peri-urban population.

The organization has launched a unique solar energy access model, Lighting a Million Lives, which aims to provide energy access to rural un-electrified areas of Pakistan.

"Under this project, 72 villages in the districts of Sahiwal, Mianwali,
Lodhran, Dera Ghazi Khan, Dera Ismail Khan, Bahawalpur and Chiniot have already been electrified, with 70 more in the pipeline for this month, further reaching out into Mardan, Khushab, Gujrat, Kasur and Bahawalnagar in a period of only six month," Anam Elahi, the Buksh Foundation's business development manager and head of the Lighting a Million Lives project, told pv magazine.

The project has already impacted some 25,000 people and the Buksh Foundation is planning to light a total of 4,000 Pakistani villages, directly helping a million individuals, in the next three years. Recently scheduled projects include electrifying the villages in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

"The project with its multifold benefit model, has not only helped in providing a sustainable energy alternative, but has also encouraged female empowerment, increased economic capacity of the rural areas, created literacy about the needs for environmental friendly energy alternatives and the benefits they provide," said Buksh Foundation CEO Fiza Farhan.

The initiative seeks to empower females in rural communities by putting them in charge of photovoltaic charging stations, which are used to charge lanterns during the day. The women then either sell or rent the lanterns to villages for PKR 4 (€0.03) a day, providing a much cheaper alternative to high-priced kerosene traditionally used for lighting.

Each solar lantern replaces about 500-600 liters of kerosene during its 10-year lifespan, mitigating about 1.5 tonnes of CO2, according to the Buksh Foundation.

The organization said that about 43% of the population of Pakistan lives without access to electricity, of which 70% live in rural areas in 50,000 villages, completely detached from the national electricity grid. By 2015, the figure is expected to climb to 46% as the energy deficit worsens; by 2025, it will rise to 64%, with 187 million people having no access to the power grid.

By reaching its goal of providing a million lanterns to people the Foundation said it could reduce 1.5 million tons of CO2, save around PKR 25 billion (€188 million) and reduce oil imports by 6% a year....

http://www.pv-magazine.com/news/details/beitrag/initiative-lights-u...

Here's a News report on Chinese investment offer in solar energy in Pakistan:

A Chinese company is ready to create a special solar fund worth three billion dollars in China to support Pakistan in utilising its solar energy resources. The company has the capacity to establish a solar plant of 1000MW in 6 to 8 months in Pakistan, while 50MW to 100 MW solar energy can be produced in 120 days only.

The offer came from Byron Shi Min Chen, president of Lightening Africa, China and Shah Faisal, CEO of Gulf Power Pakistan who called on chairman of Board of Investment (BOI), Mohammad Zubair on Thursday. Imran Afzal Cheema, secretary of BOI, also attended the meeting.

Byron apprised the BOI chief that the company was offering two kinds of solutions to energy crisis through the solar systems. He said that off-grid solar systems could be provided by the company immediately. These ready-to-use systems can be installed and end users may easily meet the electricity demand.

The company may also collaborate with the distribution networks through banks or the dominating relevant companies to sell solar products to households.

On grid solar system, Byron said, can also be installed.

He further said that the tariff should be determined even before inviting the Chinese investors to the country in power sector.

Zubair stated the BOI is mandated to play an important role in the administration and implementation of the government’s foreign direct investment policy. It has a strong record of actively encouraging the flow of FDI into the country through speedy and transparent processing of applications, SEZ Act, and investment policy and strategy.

“We welcome investors to make their businesses a success in the most lucrative investment destination of the world – Pakistan,” he said.

‘The energy policy of Pakistan focuses on the alternate energy, including solar energy. The potential of solar is in the range of 7 to 7.5kwh/msq./day in most of Balochistan, 6 to 6.5 kwh/msq./day in most of Sindh, Southern Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan, and 5.5 to 6 kwh/msq./day in the rest of the country, he added.

Lightening Africa International, Byron explained in the meeting, is dedicated to solar energy market development in Africa.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-3-192281-China-to-create-$3-billion-solar-fund-for-Pakistan

Here's a Reuters' report on homeowners installing solar panels to deal with load-shedding in Islamabad:

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – After months of sleepless nights and uncomfortable days in sweltering heat, Hussain Raza has found relief.

But it’s not just the cooler winter weather that is making Raza happier. It is, somewhat ironically, the sun.

The 35-year-old banker and his family have bought a solar-powered electricity supply that kicks in during the frequent power outages that afflict even his upscale residential neighbourhood in Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital.

A chronic shortfall in electricity in Pakistan makes life miserable for much of the country’s population and hampers industrial growth, experts say.

Until he bought his 300-watt solar energy system in October last year, Raza and his family often had no electricity to keep the lights on in the evening or run a fan during hot nights.

“How can I be at ease seeing my children go to school without homework (being done) and feeling sleepy in school due to inadequate sleep at night?” he asked. “Now I feel really relieved that I have a solar energy system that runs two fans that give us a good night’s sleep,” he said.

Mounted on the roof of his two-storey house, the solar installation stores energy in a battery that can power two fans and four 23-watt energy saver light bulbs for 10-12 hours through the night.

Apart from the comfort and convenience the system provides, Raza’s monthly electricity bills have dropped from around 4,500 Pakistani rupees (about $43) to less than 2,800 rupees ($27).

“It is worth the bill we paid for the renewable energy system,” he said. The kit cost the equivalent of $560, he said.

WORSENING OUTAGES

Power outages in Islamabad have been a problem for more than seven years, in part because of rising electricity demand due to the increasing size of the city’s population.

Pakistan’s daily power demand averages 16,000 megawatts (MW), but the country produces only around 12,000 MW. This shortfall can soar to 7,000 MW during peak summer months.

As a result, power authorities must resort to load shedding for more than 15 hours a day in the summer months, and six to eight hours daily in the winter.

The outages have also been getting longer because of a lack of investment in energy systems, particularly hydropower, which accounts for one-third of Pakistan’s total power production. The rest of the country’s energy is produced with oil and coal...

http://www.trust.org/item/20140116230113-87r9a/

Pakistan's northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province plans to supply solar power to 5,800 off-grid households in 200 villages, promoting clean energy amid conventional electricity shortages.

The provincial government has earmarked 400 million rupees ($3.94 million) for the nine-month solar project, which will equip up to 29 households in each village.

The scheme is part of the Green Growth Initiative launched a year ago in Peshawar by former international cricket star Imran Khan, who is chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, which governs the province.

The initiative aims to boost economic development in a way that uses natural resources sustainably, by increasing uptake of clean energy and forest cover, for example.

The provincial government plans to hook up at least 10 percent of the 40 percent of the province that is off-grid in the next three years with solar power and small-scale hydroelectric plants, said Atif Khan, provincial minister for education, energy and power.

It is already setting up micro-hydro plants - which harness running water and do not require dams - in the mountainous north of the province, while off-grid households in the south will be provided with solar energy.

The government will pay 90 percent of the cost of the solar equipment, with the rest shouldered by households.

Families will receive a 200-watt solar panel, two batteries and other accessories to run a ceiling fan, a pedestal fan, three LED lights, and two mobile phone charging slots.

NO MORE 'BEGGING'

In total, the project will generate 1.2 megawatts (MW), in the first stage of a wider plan to provide all off-grid households in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with solar energy.

Across the province, total demand for electricity in grid-connected areas is 2,500 MW, but they receive only 1,600 MW from the national grid run from Islamabad, the country's political center.

“We will exploit renewable energy resources and produce our own electricity, after which we will not need to beg from the center,” said Imran Khan.

---

“The government should start building small dams in the province as this would not only help generate enough electricity but also provide water for irrigation and drinking,” he (ANP's Senator Zahid Khan) said.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/18/us-pakistan-energy-solar-...

In #Pakistan, solar lamps turn women into green energy entrepreneurs http://reut.rs/1LNLOUD via @ReutersUK

BAHAWALPUR, Pakistan, July 27 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - A s the sun sets and darkness falls over a village outside Bahawalpur, Shama Bibi switches on her solar lantern and starts sewing clothes for an upcoming family wedding.

Not long ago, nightfall would have forced her to stop working. But now with access to solar-powered lamps, Bibi can sew as long as she needs to.

"The solar lantern has changed my life," said the 35-year-old widow and mother of three. "I can sew clothes even in the night and earn enough to make both ends meet."

Bibi has recently become a "Light Lady", one of the women that the Buksh Foundation, a non-profit organisation in Lahore, has trained to help spread the benefits of solar energy throughout rural Pakistan.

Under the foundation's project Lighting a Million Lives, in collaboration with The Energy and Resources Institute in India, women are taught how to operate and maintain solar charging stations in their homes.

The two "Light Ladies" in each of the focus villages also are given 50 solar lanterns to rent to others in their community.

The one-time cost of around $5,500 to set up a solar charging station and set of lanterns is funded by donors. Bibi says she charges a daily rent of 4 rupees ($0.04) per lantern and earns around 5,500 rupees ($54) each month.

"I've started sending my youngest son to school as I earn enough now to meet all the expenses," she said.

Villagers can also charge their mobile phones at the solar station, instead of having to travel to Bahawalpur and back.

The foundation has so far installed solar charging stations in 150 off-grid villages around the country and plans to reach 4,000 villages by 2017.

LIGHT BEYOND THE GRID

According to the World Bank, about 44 percent of households in Pakistan are not connected to the grid. More than 80 percent of those are in rural areas.

There, almost half of households use kerosene as a primary or secondary source of lighting, a 2012 World Bank survey found. Some use candles, due to the high cost of kerosene.

"Our target is to provide sustainable energy to far-flung rural off-grid areas of Pakistan and we especially want to empower women in these areas through the project," said Fiza Farhan, CEO of the Buksh Foundation.

She said the solar lanterns not only are convenient and a source of income for some villagers but also help reduce climate-changing carbon emissions, as each lantern replaces around 500 to 600 liters of kerosene during its 10-year lifespan.

The foundation has a permanent help line at its central office in Lahore to keep in touch with the "Light Ladies" and provide them technical assistance round the clock, Farhan said.

She said dozens of people contact the foundation daily asking for more solar lanterns in their villages and requesting the installation of charging stations in nearby villages.

"More women want to become Light Ladies, but for the moment we have been training only two women in each village," she said, to ensure that each woman makes a decent income once the profits are split.

MORE SOLAR, FEWER BLACKOUTS?

Qamar-uz-Zaman, a climate change advisor to the sustainable development organisation LEAD-Pakistan, said Pakistan's energy shortages could be reduced substantially if the government would provide technical and financial assistance for sustainable development initiatives such as Lighting a Million Lives.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/07/27/pakistan-solar-women-idUKL...

#USAID, #Pakistan banks partner for $88 million small-scale #renewable energy projects financing https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/153912-USAID-banks-partner-for-88m... …

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on Friday partnered with five banks to lend an estimated $88 million for the development of clean energy sector in Pakistan.

The US Consul General Karachi Grace Shelton presided over the signing of a partnership agreement between the USAID and Habib Bank Limited, MCB Bank Limited, Faysal Bank Limited, Meezan Bank Limited and JS Bank Limited.

Under the 15-year partnership, the U.S. government agency agreed to settle half of the total bad loans. Approximately, $88 million in financing will be available to support the development of the clean energy sector. 

Partner banks will be able to provide debt financing to small-scale clean energy projects undertaken by developers, companies or households. The loan is for purchasing energy equipment. 

"The U.S. Government is excited to partner with some of Pakistan's leading private commercial banks and support the banks' efforts in promoting clean energy," said William Hammink, USAID Assistant to the Administrator for Afghanistan-Pakistan Affairs. "Under the program, small scale clean energy projects will be able to access long-term, Pakistani rupee financing.”

Hammink said the facility is expected to significantly improve access to financing for the smaller scale projects and encourage private investment in clean energy. 

-----

Working with other US agencies, as well as donors and international development partners, USAID has focused its program over the last year on five areas essential to Pakistan’s stability and long-term development and reflective of Pakistani priorities: energy, economic growth, stabilisation, education and health.

Over the last year, USAID has streamlined the number of projects from approximately 150 to less than 70 and has also chosen to implement over half of all funding through local organisations in Pakistan – both government and non-government.

20,000 #Schools In Pakistan To Go #Solar. #renewables https://cleantechnica.com/2017/04/14/20000-schools-pakistan-go-solar/ … via @CleanTechnica

The government of Punjab province in Pakistan has reiterated its commitment to install rooftop solar power systems on about 20,000 schools.

According to media reports, the chief minister of Punjab province, Shahbaz Sharif, recently reviewed the progress of the Khadam-e-Punjab Ujala Programme. The government-backed scheme aims to set up rooftop solar power systems at schools, health centers, and higher education centers such as Bahawalpur University.

The Punjab government has support from Asian Development Bank and the AFD Bank of France for this program. Solar power, and renewable energy as a whole, has found substantial backing from the Pakistani establishment over the last few years. The country continues to grapple with demand-supply mismatch in its power sector with consumers suffering from long hours of load shedding.

Pakistan’s dependency on imported electricity has increased as it imports 100 megawatts of electricity from Iran and plans to increase this volume to 3,000 megawatts.

Over the last few months several international project developers have announced plans to set up large-scale solar power projects following the successful implementation of the initial phases of the 1,000-megawatt Quaid-e-Azam Solar Power Park, also in the Punjab province.

The South Asian country is expected to continue to see such interest from international project developers as the solar power tariffs in the country are at a massive premium to the bids being discovered globally through competitive auctions.

In late 2015, Pakistan’s National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) announced a 25% reduction in solar feed-in tariffs. Even at these reduced tariffs the developers of these projects are expected to get around 11.0/kWh. In neighboring India, however, tariffs discovered through competitive auction have fallen to 6.5¢/kWh, and more recently to 4.9¢/kWh.

Kentucky #Coal Mining Museum in Harlan County switches to #solar power to save money. #Trump #renewables
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/04/06/the-c...


Housed in a former commissary building and tucked into the hollers of Harlan County — the heart of Kentucky mining country — is a museum dedicated to all aspects of extracting coal from the state’s mountains.

Mining equipment decorates its walls, while a two-ton block of coal at the front door greets visitors. Children can climb on the museum’s 1940s model electric locomotive that once carried Kentucky men into the mines. An exhibit dedicated to Loretta Lynn (who wrote and who is the “Coal Miner’s Daughter”) sits on the third floor. Guests can even wander through an actual underground coal mine.

Not much about the Kentucky Coal Mining Museum screams modern. Its website — nay, websites — boasts early 1990s Web design, and its advertisement on YouTube appears to have been shot on a handheld camcorder. It sits next to City Hall on Main Street, the only thoroughfare of Benham, Ky. That’s to be expected from a museum dedicated to an old form of energy, which is what makes its own power methods so interesting.

The museum is switching to solar power in hopes of saving money on energy costs, as reported by WYMT and EKB-TV. The installation of solar panels began this week.

“We believe that this project will help save at least $8,000 to $10,000 off the energy costs on this building alone, so it’s a very worthy effort and it’s going to save the college money in the long run,” Brandon Robinson, communications director of Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College, which owns the museum, told WYMT.

Robinson wasn’t blind to the incongruity of a coal museum being powered by solar energy, asserting that there’s a symbiosis between the two.

“It is a little ironic,” said Robinson, “But you know, coal and solar and all the different energy sources work hand-in-hand. And, of course, coal is still king around here.”

As Tre’ Sexton, owner of Bluegrass Solar, told EKB-TV, the runoff power collected by the panels will be fed back into Benham’s power grid. The entire town of almost 500 that bills itself as “The Little Town That International Harvester, Coal Miners and Their Families Built!” will be partially run on solar power.

“I know the irony is pretty prevalent,” Sexton told EKB-TV. “But all the same, it is making a big difference, I think, for not only the museum, which will probably eliminate a lot of their overhead, but the city in general.”

“We’re happy to be able to hopefully provide some power to the city of Benham that we’re not using here,” Robinson told EKBTV. “So it’s a great project; it’s a great effort.”

It’s difficult not to see a foreshadowing in the switch to solar power.

About 85 percent of Harlan County voted for Donald Trump in the 2016 election. The disparity between Hillary Clinton’s and Trump’s campaign promises concerning energy almost assuredly played a factor in that vote.

While Clinton, speaking about renewable energy, infamously said, “We’re going to put a lot of coal miners and coal companies out of business,” Trump promised “sweeping deregulation” of the coal industry.

Trump’s plan struck a chord with some miners.

Former Harlan County coal miner Mark Gray, 58, recalled to the New York Times the moment a meeting was called at work: “They said we can’t go on with these regulations, we can’t go on with the way the government’s doing.”

Gray hoped Trump’s plan might help.

After all, coal mining was once a major American industry. In 1923, nearly 1 million of America’s 110 million citizens worked as coal miners. Now, the industry employs approximately 77,000 people, fewer employees than the Arby’s restaurant chain.

Fife firms revive Soviet space technology to help families in Pakistan

http://www.thenational.scot/news/15670709.Fife_firms_revive_Soviet_...

TECHNOLOGY used on early space missions is being revived by two Fife companies to provide clean water for 100,000 people in Pakistan.

ADVES Water Ltd and Bridge Technologies are working with the James Hutton Institute and National University of Science and Technology in Islamabad to deliver a high-quality purification facility for providing clean water.

The original Electro Chemical Activated Solutions technology was developed to create a cleaner for solar panels on Soviet space craft 40 years ago.

International Development Minister Alasdair Allan said: “This cutting-edge technology is now being applied by Scottish companies to improve drinking water and sanitation and helping to build sustainable communities in Pakistan.

“We have awarded £50,000 in the last two years to enable the installation of the ECAS water treatment generator, which has the potential to benefit tens of thousands of people, building on the strong links between our two countries.”

Professor Sher Jamal Khan, of the National University of Sciences and Technology, said: “This is a great opportunity to work with both academics and innovators in Scotland to solve critical challenges in Pakistan.

“Water is a particularly significant challenge in Pakistan and there is a real focus for academics working with government and industry to address this underpinning societal issue.”

Dr Richard Allan, of the James Hutton Institute, added that it was "another great example of the Scottish Government's Hydro Nation Agenda in action”.

Tea, haircuts and fish bones in off-grid #villages: Letting the #solar light into #Pakistan. #renewables

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pakistan-solar-electricity-featu...

Nizam Bijli installs pay-as-you-go solar systems in homes and businesses, where customers pay 2,000 Pakistani rupees ($18) a month over 16 months for three bulbs, one fan and two USB slots to charge their mobile phones.

--------------------

“Now I can eat fish and not worry about bones getting stuck in my throat,” Mohammad told the Thomson Reuters Foundation, describing how he enjoys a well-lit evening meal since his son, Ghulam Nabi, installed solar bulbs in his home three months ago.

For nearly a decade, chronic power shortages have hobbled Pakistan’s economy, leaving 144 million people without electricity or enduring lengthy blackouts, the World Bank says.

Globally, more than one billion people, or one in seven, lacked access to electricity in 2014 and many more suffer from poor supply, which keeps them trapped in poverty, reliant on wood, candles and kerosene, experts say.

These numbers may be grim but young entrepreneurs like Saad Ahmad see this as huge growth potential in Pakistan, which generates only two-thirds of its energy needs.

“There is massive opportunity for business,” said Ahmad, 26, chief executive of solar energy supplier Nizam Bijli, which has powered 1,300 homes since it started in 2016 and hopes to reach 1 million people by 2020.

“There is room for many companies to make a difference in the lives of these communities.”

“Now I can eat fish and not worry about bones getting stuck in my throat,” Mohammad told the Thomson Reuters Foundation, describing how he enjoys a well-lit evening meal since his son, Ghulam Nabi, installed solar bulbs in his home three months ago.

----
“There is massive opportunity for business,” said Ahmad, 26, chief executive of solar energy supplier Nizam Bijli, which has powered 1,300 homes since it started in 2016 and hopes to reach 1 million people by 2020.

“There is room for many companies to make a difference in the lives of these communities.”

A similar ‘off-grid revolution’ is afoot across Africa due to fast-dropping costs and plenty of sun.

Currently only four percent of Pakistani households tap into solar power due to lack of awareness, limited supply chains and a shortage of consumer financing for relatively high up-front costs, according to the World Bank.

Nizam Bijli installs pay-as-you-go solar systems in homes and businesses, where customers pay 2,000 Pakistani rupees ($18) a month over 16 months for three bulbs, one fan and two USB slots to charge their mobile phones.

Ahmad believes this is affordable as families spend a similar amount on kerosene and charging mobile phones in nearby towns. The average income in Pakistan is about $1,450, according to World Bank data.

Ahmad is certain the only way out of Pakistan’s energy crisis is to bypass the grid and leapfrog straight into low-carbon sources like wind and solar.

“The whopping costs associated with grid extension (and) low electricity consumption by rural communities dispersed over large swathes presents a barrier to investment,” he said.

Pakistan already has one major solar park in the eastern province of Punjab, built with Chinese investment. Meanwhile, the parliament in Islamabad switched to solar energy in 2016 and sells excess energy it produces back to the grid.

TEA AND CIGARETTES
Allah Dino’s barber shop in Khorwah, 180 km (110 miles) east of Pakistan’s largest city, Karachi, is connected to the grid.

But intermittent power had forced him to close by sunset. Now he has solar, his business is open until close to midnight.

“There is never an idle moment and my men now work in shifts,” Dino said.

Next door in Bhittai roadside restaurant, solar has also been good for Mohammad Azeem. It allows truckers to stop by throughout the night to drink his tea, brewed on wooden stoves.

Rural Pakistanis Take to Solar After Power Cuts Deepen in Karachi
---------

Small-scale solar in Pakistan attracted $540 million in 2017, having received less than $100 million in each of the previous two years, according to a report published last month by the United Nations and and Bloomberg New Energy Finance. Solar and wind energy contributed 3 percent to Pakistan’s electricity generation, or about 300 megawatts as of March, according to Arif Habib Ltd.

“Pakistan is one of the biggest frontier markets that has not been tapped,” Jeremy Higgs, co-founder at EcoEnergy, said during a trip to southern Pakistan.

-----------



https://www.bloomberg.com/amp/news/articles/2018-04-26/rural-pakist...

Solar companies have made inroads into Pakistan’s countryside
Blackouts are still common despite a rise in power generation
In a small tea shop along a dusty, unpaved road in the marketplace of Sujawal, a town about 93 miles east of Karachi in Pakistan, Imam Dino has hit upon a profitable idea. He attracts customers with a 24-inch television playing Bollywood movies through the day and by providing mobile phone charging sockets in a town that otherwise suffers long outages.

Power for the TV and charging points comes from a solar-panel system that he rents for 2,500 rupees ($22) a month. It’s been a sound investment. Dino makes as much as 3,000 rupees extra a month because of the attractions. Previously, he spent more to run a gasoline generator.

Rural Pakistanis like Dino are increasingly turning to renewable energy to circumvent the country’s notoriously unreliable power supply. Deficient generation and distribution shave an estimated 2 percentage points off Pakistan’s economic growth annually and faults in the national grid are exposed every summer as demand increases. That’s despite a rise in generation by 35 percent to 31,000 megawatts since 2013.

---
As customers like Dino are discovering, off-grid solar may be the answer. With global panel prices plummeting in the past five years, units powering fans and lights are being sold or rented in the nation’s poorest regions for 1,000 rupees to 3,000 rupees a month, according to distributors EcoEnergy and Nizam Energy. About 10,000 solar systems have been installed since 2013 ranging in size from 50 watts to 200 watts, enough to power six light bulbs and two fans.

One of EcoEnergy’s customers, Mohammad Ishaque, who farms sunflower and rice fields, pays 1,000 rupees a month for a 50-watt solar system. He previously used oil lamps and battery-powered torches.

“When we went for farming in the morning, it used to be completely dark, when we came back it used to be dark,” Ishaque, 69, said while smoking a cigarette and sheltering from the midday sun in the small village of Gul Muhammad Rao. “It’s daytime at night now.”

Meanwhile, at Nizam Energy’s office in Karachi, Chief Executive Officer Usman Ahmed boasts they aren’t crippled by the city’s shortages. Their headquarters is powered partially by solar panels on the roof, which he says is 30 percent cheaper than electricity from the grid. The off-grid market may double annually over the next three years, he said.

Back in Sujawal, Dino is happy with his returns.

“We are making more money, so it’s been great,” he said, as he mixed tea over burning coals for a packed room. Across the road, a competing tea shop with no electricity was empty.






Rural Pakistanis Take to Solar After Power Cuts Deepen in Karachi
---------

Small-scale solar in Pakistan attracted $540 million in 2017, having received less than $100 million in each of the previous two years, according to a report published last month by the United Nations and and Bloomberg New Energy Finance. Solar and wind energy contributed 3 percent to Pakistan’s electricity generation, or about 300 megawatts as of March, according to Arif Habib Ltd.

“Pakistan is one of the biggest frontier markets that has not been tapped,” Jeremy Higgs, co-founder at EcoEnergy, said during a trip to southern Pakistan.

Complete Guide to setup Off Grid Solar System in Pakistan for Home Usage

https://dnd.com.pk/complete-guide-to-setup-off-grid-solar-system-in...

Solar Guide Pakistan: We have been searching online for information regarding Solar setup in Pakistan but we often end up with a lot of questions about how to calculate the load and how many solar panels are required. Single Solar Panel in Pakistan costs around 12,000 – 14,000 which gives a rated output of 250 watts at peak time. However, the prices of solar inverters vary from 11,000 – 120,000 depending on the brand and capacity.

This Article will Cover the following Topics:

Solar Panel Price in Pakistan
Solar Inverter Price in Pakistan
How to install a solar panel
How to connect Solar Panel to Charge Regulator
How to calculate your house load and decide how many solar Panels are Required
Complete setup of Solar Panel System for home


Simply plug it into the socket and save: Small photovoltaic systems for less than 60000 PKR should tap into the sun, without having to deal with craftsmen, authorities and energy suppliers. We tried it.

Since solar modules are cheap, the computational production costs for solar electricity are well below the average electricity price paid by private households in Germany. Even without feed-in tariff, therefore, one’s own solar power generation can count, namely by the self-consumption of self-generated solar power. Ultimately, you save costs by buying less electricity from the energy supplier. A mini-system should not only be much cheaper than a “real” solar system on the roof but also save time and annoyance: about assembly, registration with network operators and Federal Network Agency for feed-in compensation and for the replacement of the electricity meter.

For less than 4000 you get “regenerated” electricity meter with Ferraris technology, so the classic wheel.
Companies such as Go Green Solutions, Infinitum Energy, Minijoule and Sun Invention offer kits that essentially consist of the actual photovoltaic (PV) module and a suitable inverter. Depending on the offer, there are also fastening materials and connecting cables. The assembly of the parts, the assembly at the intended location and the electrical connection should take over the buyer or hire a craftsman with it. But here is already the first rabbit in the pepper: Already comparatively small additional costs jeopardize the economy, so the sense of investment. After all, saving only starts when the PV system has generated its acquisition, installation and possibly repair costs. That lasts even in the best case several years. In addition, acquaintance with the amateur connection to the power grid can cause serious technical problems and risks being taken to account for violation of norms and laws. However, a photovoltaic system can hardly be hidden: after all, solar cells must stand in the blazing sun if they are ever to pay for themselves.

Pakistani bank partners Nizam Energy on commercial solar financing

https://www.pv-tech.org/news/pakistani-bank-partners-nizam-energy-o...

Pakistani financier JS Bank has partnered with local solar firm Nizam Energy on a PV module financing solution directed at small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

The smart panel solution, named JS Smart Roshni, will allow SMEs that use Nizam’s solar modules and technical services to benefit from financing of up to PKR10 million (~US$86,500) at a mark-up of 6% from the bank, while reducing the SMEs’ dependency on grid power.

Babbar Wajid, head of product development and business management, JS Bank said: “Our partnership with Nizam Energy reflects our commitment to provide customers with responsible solutions for their energy needs, while creating medium to long-term savings. This initiative will help our clients increase operational efficiency in an environmentally responsible manner, and help reduce load on the national grid.”

Usman Ahmad, CEO, Nizam Energy, commented: “With easy and low cost financing solutions provided by JS Bank, we can further enable customers across Pakistan to avail solar power generation solutions with financing support.”

In other news, the Government of Sindh Province in Pakistan recently rejected submissions from all four bidders in its tender for 352 solar PV systems to electrify primary health facilities. Meanwhile, in February, the Pakistani regulator issued its tariff determinations for 300MW of solar with tariffs significantly below grid parity, for which Nizam was a co-sponser with Scatec Solar for 150MW worth of projects.

Community-built #hydropower projects lighting up remote areas in #Pakistan, generating 5 to 100 kilowatts of power. Most micro-hydropower projects have a shelf life of up to 20 years but it's extendable. #renewable #energy #electricity https://scroll.in/article/888241/in-pakistans-mountains-community-b... via @scroll_in


Two winters ago was the best winter Zulekha Begum can remember in her 42 years in Swat valley, 150 kilometres northeast of Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. “It was the most comfortable winter; our rooms were nice and warm and we had hot water anytime of the day.”


For the first time last winter, her village of Jukhtai, in the idyllic alpine valley, received an uninterrupted supply of electricity thanks to the 65 KW of the micro-hydropower project that the Sarhad Rural Support Programme, an independent development organisation, helped install in their village of 2,300 people.

The Sarhad Rural Support Programme has been working in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province since 1989 with the aim of reducing poverty and ensuring sustainable means of livelihood. And since 2004, it has built more than 250 micro-hydro units supplying off-grid communities with cheap, environmentally-friendly and uninterrupted power supply. With financial support from the European Union to produce over 19 MW of electricity, it has benefitted over 570,000 people.

Six years ago, in 2012, the EU (in collaboration with the Pakistan government) started a four-year programme to “revitalise” rural economy and promote renewable energy for sustainable livelihoods in Malakand division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. This was later extended to 2018.

Pumping in 40 million Euros into areas affected by conflict and natural disasters, the project planned to cover 100 union councils of seven districts (Swat, Shangla, Buner, Lower Dir, Upper Dir, Chitral and Malakand) to benefit 2.7 million people affected by conflict and floods.

This fitted closely with the work of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, which was also planning on initiating over 350 units to produce 35 MW of electricity benefiting over 700,000 people by 2017.

In Pakistan, micro-hydropower projects have been led and popularised by the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme and the Sarhad Rural Support Programme, both of whom have been recipients of the Ashden international award for their work in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Pakistan’s Kashmir region.

“The way we work with the community is that the latter provides us with land, labour, time even local material like stone, and earth which comes to 20% of the cost while 80% is borne by the SRSP [Sarhad Rural Support Programme],” said Dildar Ahmad, Sarhad’s district programme manager. The micro-hydropower project at Jukhtai (in Swat), cost Pakistani rupee 8,152,154 ($64,275) and provides connections to 315 households and some shops.


According to the Sarhad Rural Support Programme, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government gave them 105 micro-hydropower projects to be completed by December 2018, of which they have completed 90, and the rest are 78% complete. All the EU funded projects were completed by March 2018. Overall, the Sarhad Rural Support Programme says that, since 2009, it “has constructed 332 micro hydro projects, as of July 2017, benefiting approximately 900,000 population in rural areas of Malakand Division and Northern Districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.” (Oddly, the graphic accompanying this claim suggests only 331 projects have been completed.)

#American #renewable #energy company ‘Solar Stik’ to invest in #Pakistan’s #solar #electricity sector by offering off-grid communities its mobile portable and ruggedized solar panel units https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/490198-us-company-solar-stik-to-in...

ISLAMABAD: The US Embassy represented by Mark Russell, commercial counselor in collaboration with NAT Power Pakistan (Private) Limited, who represent the no. 1 US company, ‘Solar Stik’, who manufactures the world’s top grade portable, mobile solar hybrid systems for military and now through Nat Power for commercial sector specially for the off-grid communities of over a 100 million, who have no power or very little, if any, says a press release.

Most of these communities, which are targeted, by NAT Power and ‘Solar Stik’ are in rural Sindh, Baluchistan, Punjab, KPK, Gilgit Baltistan and now FATA Nat Power’s highly sophisticated team beamed Solar Stik right into the hall, where all the guests were seated. By showing them the products, this created complete transparency as to where these products are made and will be sold in Pakistan through Nat Power.

‘Solar Stik’, the US manufacturers also answered during the Q&A’s session directly to the audience who enjoyed the inter action, which boosted their confidence. This was to give the audience the confidence that if these products which are sold to military conflict theaters round the world, including Middle East, Horn of Africa and Afghanistan. It was the first time the audience could ask the questions to the manufacturer directly.

Chairman of NAT Power Pakistan, Muslim Lakhani, explained their business model and the important features of these products, he said, “if these products can last in Afghanistan for over 10 years you can imagine how long it will last in non-conflict areas, perhaps 15 to may be 20 years or more with some upgrades during the 20 years life cycle, the reason being, the products are rugged, hybrid and operate through artificial intelligence, AI. These products can operate in extreme harsh climatic conditions where the temperatures vary from +60 degrees to -20 degrees. Also for the first time in Pakistan, 24VDC batteries made of Lithium Ion and non-spill able led acid batteries.

Muslim Lakhani, explained their business model, which is not in competition with any company who is already in this business, since there is no one in this space of mobile portable and rugged solar units, all vendors are our clients and we welcome new comers who also want to get into this business. Lakhani further explained that this will create lots of jobs and will help with reducing the circular debt.

Most surprising finding for me

15% HHs have a Solar Panel

20% rural hh report solar panel

In KP rural almost 1 in 2 report having a solar panel

1 in 3 in Sindh rural

Alternate energy sources had a silent revolution in Pakistan?

@syedsalman_t
numbers from govt survey

https://twitter.com/bilalgilani/status/1259530935168614401?s=20

Imports of solar panels have risen from as little as $1 million in 2004 to a peak of $772 million in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2017. While they have since dropped down to $409 million in fiscal 2019, the country’s imports of solar panels appear to be a strong upward trajectory, growing at an average rate of 15.9% per year in US dollar terms (22.6% per year in Pakistani rupee terms) in the five years between 2014 and 2019.

https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2020/05/04/solar-is-the-future-...

-------------------

The Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) was established as an autonomous body with the aim of promoting and facilitating the exploitation of renewable energy projects in Pakistan. It has been designated as a ‘one-window’ facilitator at the federal level for processing solar projects of all sizes.

The Government of Pakistan’s first steps towards firm support of renewable energy in its energy mix came in 2006 when it made the Policy for Development of Renewable Energy Generation (the 2006 RE Policy). The AEDB has been planning to develop cost-effective alternative and renewable energy-based power generation projects through private investors under the Renewable Energy Policy 2006 on the IPP model (independent power producer).

The Government of Pakistan’s role in all of this has been offering incentives to investors for solar power development in the country. Investors have been presented with rewarding financial incentives that are of key interest for them to come to this market. Provincial governments, particularly the Government of Punjab, have taken the lead on facilitating development of solar power in Pakistan.

The goal that the federal government has set for the AEDB is to ensure 5% of total national power generation capacity to be generated through renewable energy technologies by the year 2030. That may seem like very little and very slow progress, but even that is coming along at a snail’s pace. In addition, under the remote village electrification program, AEDB has been directed to electrify 7,874 remote villages in Sindh and Balochistan provinces through ARE technologies (Alternative and Renewable Energies Technologies). However, there are certain hurdles unique to the industry that make this a difficult task and even 5% solar coverage a big undertaking.

“The future of Pakistan is in renewable energy and the solar industry is top most in this kind of energy. However, the problem in Pakistan is that the rental power station does not let the solar scene grow,” Saeed Hussain explains to us.

#Pakistan’s largest #motorcycle maker goes solar with 2.5 MW solar at Sheikupura plant. A large number of manufacturing and assembling units in the country were opting for #renewable energy (captive) generation to secure uninterrupted supply and cut costs. https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/728485-pakistan-s-largest-bike-mak...

A large number of manufacturing and assembling units in the country were opting for renewable energy (captive) generation to secure uninterrupted supply and cut costs. Alpha Beta Core CEO Khurram Schehzad said many companies had installed captive power plants to secure uninterrupted power supply and ensure efficiencies. “Earlier, the captive generation was gas-based, but now the gas is a scarce and expensive commodity, so companies are opting for renewable captive generation.”

Several other companies and manufacturing concerns including P&G, Service Industries Limited, Kohinoor Textile Mills, Fauji Cement Company Eni, and DP World have installed solar power generation to meet their energy requirements. In addition to this, several others have entered into bulk power procurement agreements with alternate energy producers, while a large number of sugar millers have already setup biogas plants.

Khurram said gas shortage, lower costs and commitment to a clean environment were compelling companies to switch to alternate energy resources. “Captive renewable energy offers short-term as well as long-term efficiencies while being environment-friendly. Corporate sector should play a leading role in this transition.” Pakistan enjoys a geo-strategic advantage for producing abundant amounts of solar energy.

Hence, solar technology could save millions of dollars for the country’s economic growth, while also offering various ecological benefits.

Meezan Bank leads PKR 1 Billion Syndicated Islamic Finance Facility For 7 MW Solar Power Project
April 9th, 2022

https://www.meezanbank.com/meezan-bank-leads-pkr-1-billion-syndicat...

Meezan Bank, Pakistan’s leading Islamic bank and Burj Solar Energy Private Limited (BSEPL) are pleased to announce the financial close of PKR 1 billion syndicated Islamic finance facility for BSEPL’s portfolio of renewable distributed power generation in Pakistan. The first tranche of PKR 580 million will be used to finance the construction of 7 MW solar power plant for Power Cement Limited on Karachi Hyderabad Motorway.

Meezan Bank led the transaction as the Mandated Lead Arranger and Pakistan Kuwait Investment Company (Private) Limited participated as the Co-Arranger. The transaction structure is based on State Bank of Pakistan’s Islamic Financing Facility for Renewable Energy (IFRE) and a commercial facility.

The solar power plant will be rented to Power Cement Limited under a twenty-year equipment rental agreement and the solar energy generated will be used by the company’s cement plant in Nooriabad. It will generate 220 GWh solar units for twenty years and in addition to reducing cost of electricity, will offset 112,000 tons of CO2 GHG emissions. The project is expected to start generation in July, 2022.

Legal counsel for the financiers were Mohsin Tayebaly & Co. while Kabraji & Talibuddin Advocates and Legal Counsels acted as BSEPL’s legal counsel. Orient Energy Systems (Private) Limited is the turnkey EPC contractor for the project.

Mr. Ariful Islam, Deputy CEO, Meezan Bank, while commenting on the occasion said,‘Meezan Bank is comitted to actively support and pursue green energy initiatives. Meezan has played a key role the financing of several renewable energy projects aggregating to 380 MW, as Lead or Co-lead manager and also participated in the debt syndications of two large hydro-electric projects being set-up by the Government of Pakistan – Neelum Jhelum and Dasu. Burj Energy is an excellent initiative that will facilitate distributed affordable solar initiatives corporates, small and medium enterprises as well as the individual consumers.’ He said the Meezan has also implemented a number of green initiatives by installing solar at 59 branches branches and 140Kw solar at its Head Office. Its new regional office building in Islamabad is also being designed to be Platinum Lead certified.

Mr. Saad Zaman, Chairman of BSEPL and Burj Energy International Management Limited UAE, said, ‘I am very pleased that we have successfully reached the financial close of the 7 MW solar farm for Power Cement Limited. This is one more success for our company and a significant moment for development of hybrid renewable energy projects in Pakistan. This successful financial close reflects the ongoing interest and trust of leading financial institutions in the Pakistani renewables’ market and Burj Group.’

Mr. Kashif Habib Chief Executive Officer Power Cement Limited, said: ‘Our future is dependent on green, sustainable and renewable source of energy. By installing this 7 MW solar farm, we are taking the first step towards our hybrid solar & wind energy project. We shall keep playing our part in making our production process more environment-friendly and positively impactful for the eco-system we live in. It is high time that we look towards other viable energy options that are clean and green.

Sindh govt plans to launch floating solar power project on Keenjhar Lake
Solar panels to generate 500MW of electricity after two years

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2365112/sindh-govt-plans-to-launch-flo...

"Work on the feasibility report of the project is in full swing and it is hoped that the project will start generating electricity in two years time after going through the approval stages," said Sindh Energy Minister Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh, adding that Go Company, which was working on the project, was expected to invest US$400 million in the project.

The energy minister’s statement came during his talk with officials from power companies.

He said that this was a unique floating solar power plant project for Pakistan which would not only provide 500 MW of environmentally friendly electricity but would also create employment opportunities in the province.

"Keenjhar Lake will promote tourism and help in controlling load shedding," he added.

Imtiaz Shaikh said that the 500 MW eco-friendly power project was another milestone of the achievements of the Sindh government.

In recent months, Pakistan has seen efforts to increase the instalment and use of solar panels. The government worked towards a comprehensive solar energy package comprising tax waivers and concessionary loans for consumers in a bid to overcome the prolonged power outages that have stalled life in the country.

The solar package would include a short-term plan for shifting government offices to solar energy. It involves the preparation of a plan for helping small consumers to switch over to solar energy with the help of subsidies or concessionary loans.

The government is also planning to waive the general sales tax on all the components used in generating solar energy.

The energy task force, chaired by Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, reviewed the solar power plan in a recent meeting. The prime minister constituted the task force on solar energy initiatives with a vision to promote sustainable and green energy.

IMF program in Pakistan undermines renewable energy roll-out - Bretton Woods Project

https://www.brettonwoodsproject.org/2022/04/imf-programme-in-pakist...

The unprecedented rise in solar photovoltaic (PV) installations in Pakistan’s off-grid and weak grid regions in recent years has been a windfall for vulnerable communities. Buoyed by the GOP’s decision to waive taxes on solar products in 2014, the growth reflects solar’s suitability for powering tube wells, water pumps and purification systems for drinking water and irrigation in remote and water-stressed areas. The primary beneficiaries of this boom have been poor farming communities – especially women – who have historically struggled with access to electricity and water. Solar technology, however, is still a largely import-based market, and growth is likely to be slowed with users unable to meet higher prices.

Road projects: Sindh prepares projects under PSDP

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2341897/sindh-prepares-projects-under-...

Road sector schemes of over Rs85 billion were discussed and cleared in the meeting for the next federal PSDP. They included construction of the 189km Coastal Highway from Keti Bunder to Ali Bunder and building of the road to connect Shaheed Benazirabad, Sanghar to Matiari district.

Other projects included dualisation of the 31km track from Tando Allahyar to Tando Adam Road, construction of a 150km road from Rahri (Sukkur) to Guddu Barrage via Khanpur Mahar, Jarwar, Mirpur Mathelo and Mohammadpur. Also part of the proposed projects was the construction of a 135km additional carriageway of Mehran Highway (Nawabshah-raniput) and a 40km road from Thatta to Jhimpir.

There was also the construction of a 203km road from Sanghar to Salehpat via Mudh Jamraho up to Rahri Road and the 45km additional carriageway of road from Naudero to Lakhi.

The Sindh government has decided to solarise 200,000 housing units in rural and urban areas across the province with the support of the World Bank, it emerged on Thursday.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1737553/minister-announces-provision-of-s...

The decision was taken at a meeting between Energy Minister Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh and a delegation of the World Bank headed by its director Najy Benhassine at the energy department.

Mr Shaikh told Dawn that the panels would be installed in all districts of the province under the Sindh Solar Project.

“Over 200,000 houses/units will be solarised in both rural and urban areas of all districts as part of the provincial government’s major initiative to end the energy crisis,” he said.

The minister said that it was also decided that a subsidy of $160 per house/unit in rural areas and $110 in urban areas would be given.

“Initially. solar panels are being installed in 10 districts and the process will be extended to all other districts of Sindh,” he said.

The minister said the World Band delegation expressed its satisfaction over the pace of ongoing projects in the province’s energy sector.

He said the importance of generating green environment-friendly energy was increasing rapidly in view of climate-change impacts.

There were many opportunities for blue economy in this sector, he said. “The speed of wind in the sea is many times better than on land, so wind turbines can be installed on the sea and beaches to generate cheaper electricity,” he said.

Imtiaz Shaikh said that an economic zone could be established in coastal area, which would be an important milestone in the development of the coastal area. “The energy department will cooperate in developing offshore wind projects near coastal areas,” he said, and added that floating solar energy units would be created for economic development of the country.

He said that the energy department wanted to work with the Pakistan Institute of Oceanography to develop floating solar projects in coastal areas.

“Floating solar systems and offshore wind projects can expand blue economy opportunities through affordable energy,” he added.

The minister said that land for water-based green energy projects was several times cheaper and unlike most land-based solar plants there, floating arrays could be stationary.

To a question, he said that the provincial government had also decided to restructure the proposed Sindh Petroleum Company which would work for gas exploration.

He said that the SPC would give licences for gas and petrol exploration in the province, adding that a draft of recommendations regarding activation of the SPC and its rules and regulations had been prepared.

He said that the SPC along with the search for new gas reserves would also monitor the distribution of existing gas reserves.

Imtiaz Shaikh demanded a new natural resources agreement between the federation and the provinces and said that the new gas distribution agreement would help curb the sense of deprivation found in the provinces.

LONGi receives CSR award from Pakistan’s National Forum for Environment and Health

https://www.pv-tech.org/industry-updates/longi-receives-csr-award-f...

LONGi has announced that it has received a CSR award from the Pakistani National Forum for Environment and Health (NFEH) and the CSR Club for its outstanding contribution to the country’s environmental status.

Established in June 1999, the NFEH is affiliated with the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) and its activities are supported by the Pakistani government’s Ministry for Climate Change.

Ali Majid, LONGi General Manager for Pakistan, received the award on behalf of the company, commenting: “We are delighted to receive this award from the NFEH and CSR Club. As a global leader in solar technology, we believe it is our responsibility to create a sustainable future for generations to come. We are committed to developing innovative solutions that reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainable energy consumption and we will continue to work towards a greener future.”

Unilever Pakistan announces its partnership with K-Solar


https://www.nation.com.pk/18-May-2023/unilever-pakistan-announces-i...


LAHORE-Unilever Pakistan has announced its partnership with K-Solar, a subsidiary of KE, to transition its operations to solar energy in Rahim Yar Khan and Karachi. This initiative represents a significant step towards achieving Unilever’s ambitious sustainability goals, including net zero emissions in its operations by 2039. Simultaneously, the firm will shed close to PKR 84 million a year in energy costs, facilitating the local economy by considerably reducing the strain on the national grid collectively generating approx. 2.3 million Kwh through renewable sources.

Unilever Pakistan’s Solar Captive Power Plant Phase 2 installation demonstrates their dedication to renewable energy solutions, leading to significant savings and CO2 reductions. At Futehally Chemicals Limited (FCL), the factory that manufactures Surf Excel for Unilever, the 362 kW system will save 496,035 kWh annually, reducing costs by approximately 18 million PKR and CO2 emissions by 233 metric tons. The 1000 kW installation at Rahim Yar Khan Factory will save 1,430,886 kWh, saving approximately 53 million PKR and a CO2 reduction of 662 metric tons per year. The 250 kW system at Rahim Yar Khan Estate will save 357,721 kWh, resulting in cost savings of 13 million PKR and a CO2 reduction of 165 metric tons annually. Unilever Pakistan’s investment in these projects reinforces their commitment to sustainability.

While Unilever’s own factories, offices, research labs, data centers, warehouses, and distribution centers account for only 2% of its total greenhouse gas footprint, the company acknowledges the significance of these emissions and is committed to eliminating them entirely. Abdul Hannan Ahmed Khan, Head of Supply Chain at Unilever Pakistan, expressed his enthusiasm for this collaboration, stating, “Unilever Pakistan is deeply committed to sustainable practices and minimizing our impact on the environment. This solar project is a testament to our dedication to combat climate change and create a brighter, cleaner future. By investing in renewable energy, we are not only reducing our carbon emissions but also driving positive change in the communities we operate in.”

Hashim Raza, CEO of K-Solar, emphasized the significance of joint efforts in realizing a sustainable energy future. He stated, “We are thrilled to partner with Unilever Pakistan on this journey. By combining Unilever’s leadership in sustainability and K-Solar’s expertise in renewable energy solutions, we are confident that we can make a substantial impact in reducing carbon emissions and promoting the use of clean energy sources.”

Solar grids bring relief to Sindh
19-kilowatt mini-grids powered by solar energy installed in Ishaq Jokoi


https://tribune.com.pk/story/2411592/solar-grids-bring-relief-to-sindh


Indus Earth Trust (IET), an organisation promoting green energy, has provided a life-changing solution for residents of Ishaq Jokio, a small settlement in the Sindh province of Pakistan.

The 19-kilowatt mini-grids powered by solar energy have transformed the lives of people, who have been accustomed to enduring long hours of power cuts during peak consumption in summer.

“Villages were selected according to a needs assessment survey, while the villagers provided the land where the 19-kilowatt mini-grids were installed. In this hamlet caressed by the sea breeze from the Arabian Sea, panels bred prosperity,” reported the China Economic Net.

According to the State of Industry reports from the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), homes consume 50% of the total electricity delivered, and this demand is largely driven by cooling and lighting. The demand is estimated to increase from 106 terawatt-hour (TWh) in 2020 to 234 TWh in 2030, representing a 121% increase due to the rise in temperatures from climate change.

Pakistan’s energy problems have been exacerbated manifold by the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the global supply crisis. Pakistan’s fuel import bill surged to $23 billion in FY2021-22, a 105% increase from the previous financial year. The country’s per capita annual electricity consumption of 644 kilowatt-hour (kWh) is among the lowest in the world, which is only 18% of the world average, 7% of the developed countries’ average.

However, Pakistan’s efforts to embrace photovoltaics at all levels have started to pay off. Pakistan imported about $1.2 billion in photovoltaic modules in the last fiscal year, and in 2022, China’s photovoltaic module exports to Pakistan reached approximately $870 million, with a total installed capacity of 3.2GW, a year-on-year increase of 54% and 37%, respectively, said Liu Yiyang, Deputy Secretary-General and Press Spokesperson of China Photovoltaic Industry Association (CPIA). The Pakistan Solar Association (PSA) forecasted that the country’s import demand for photovoltaic products this year will be around $1.8 billion.

“Pakistan’s Solar Energy Market is expected to record a CAGR of 2.5% during the period from 2022 to 2027, with Net Metering-Based Solar Installations and Power Generation growing by 102% and 108% respectively,” said a KTrade Securities analyst.

A World Bank study in 2020 urged Pakistan to urgently expand solar and wind “to at least 30% of electricity generation capacity by 2030, equivalent to around 24,000 MW.” This provides huge opportunities for growth as currently, as of December 2022, Pakistan’s total domestic installed power capacity is 43,775 MW, of which photovoltaic installed capacity is 630 MW, accounting for about 1.4% only.

China’s efforts are also reaching millions of households in remote areas in the form of micro-power plants. Out of the $144 million foreign investment in PV plants in Pakistan, $125 million is from China, accounting for nearly 87% of the total.

“Pakistan and China are a perfect match for collaboration on renewable energy (solar PV) as China is a globally known giant when it comes to renewable energy technology, while Pakistan needs to move away from thermal to renewable for power generation,” stated a KTrade Securities solar PV industry report.

Recently, the Pakistan Solar Association (PSA) sent an official letter adjuring the federal government to ask SBP and other commercial banks to help in the solar imports through an annual limit of USD 800 million at a time when Pakistan is facing a renewable energy sector that is growing rapidly. The letter also urged the government to take steps to promote local manufacturing of solar panels to reduce reliance on imports and create job opportunities for the local population.

Pakistan among 26 countries which added over 1,000 MW of solar electricity in 2022

https://www.euronews.com/green/2023/06/13/spain-germany-poland-whic...

Where are the major solar countries?
More countries than ever are real “solar contenders”, the report shows.

In 2022, the number of major solar countries - defined as those installing at least 1 GW annually - grew from 12 to 26. By 2025, the report predicts that more than 50 countries will be installing more than 1 GW of solar per year.

European countries make up 12 of the solar heavyweights, led by Spain, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands and Italy.

Poland’s solar development has flown past expectations. It’s mostly due to a surge in small rooftop ‘prosumer’ systems that enable homeowners to be rewarded for producing as well as consuming energy.

Ranked by the amount of extra solar they installed last year, here is the full list of the 26 major solar powers:

1. China
2. US
3. India
4. Brazil
5. Spain
6. Germany
7. Japan
8. Poland
9. The Netherlands
10. Australia
11. South Korea
12. Italy
13. France
14. Taiwan
15. Chile
16. Denmark
17. Turkiye
18. Greece
19. South Africa
20. Austria
21. UK
22. Mexico
23. Hungary
24. Pakistan
25. Israel
26. Switzerland

Community solar subscriptions can reduce electricity costs for consumers - Profit by Pakistan Today


https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2023/02/25/community-solar-subs...

Rooftop solar installations have been a success story in Pakistan for the past few years, with more than 20,000 net metering licenses issued by the end of 2021-22, adding 450MW to the system. The 10x reduction in solar panel prices during the last decade, steep escalation in electricity tariffs, and net metering have made solar installation one of the best investments, with a payback of fewer than four years, while providing an excellent hedge against inflation and tariff escalation. Advanced LFP (Lithium Ferrous Phosphate) batteries, with 15 plus years life, are also becoming financially feasible for peak hours use with imminent peak rate hike.

Despite the success of rooftop solar, there is still much room for growth. There are 610,000 households in Pakistan using 700 plus units and 16.8 million households consuming 300-700 units on average per month. The country can easily achieve at least 10,000MW of rooftop solar installations on just 5 percent of these houses during the next five years by continuing with the current net metering and export rate incentives.

For households using 500–700 units per month, rooftop installations can be accelerated by providing incentives such as reinstating low-cost loans, removing current limitations on net metering, and eliminating 17pc general sales tax on solar equipment for 10KW or smaller installations. However, rooftop solar is not a practical option for lower-income households (300–500 units per month consumption) because of higher cost per kilowatt for a smaller system, financial constraints, roof space availability, rental housing, and apartment living.

This is where community solar comes in as a practical and lower cost solution for these households and industrial facilities. In the community solar subscription model, consumers either purchase or rent a small portion of a large solar farm operated by the utility or a private developer. For example, for a 100 MW solar farm located near an industrial zone, multiple industrial facilities can purchase 20pc of this farm’s capacity (20MW), providing equity investment, while the remaining 80pc (80MW) can be subscribed (rented) by 80,000 low usage household (300-500 units) customers with a limit of 1KW for each.

Because of economies of scale, the per kilowatt cost of these solar farms is 15-20pc lower than a rooftop system, thus reducing the purchase or rental cost. Also, since the industry will be providing equity investment, there won’t be a need to find large investors for these solar farms.

Solar power installations in Pakistan have seen remarkable growth, with an installed capacity of over 2,368 MW as of FY22, reflecting the rising popularity and potential of solar energy.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2420254/can-pakistan-capitalise-on-sol...


In recent years, Pakistan has witnessed substantial investments in solar power projects, both domestic and foreign. It has introduced a financing scheme for renewable energy to make financing available for consumers in the private sector to invest in renewable electricity generation. Until February 2022, SBP had provided Rs74 billion (about $400 million) in financing to over 1,175 projects with a combined capacity of 1,375 MW in renewable energy.

The World Bank also reports that Pakistan has a potential of 40 GW of solar power and has set a target of achieving 20% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2025.

Pakistan has been heavily reliant on fossil fuels, particularly oil and gas, for power generation. However, the power production mix has undergone some changes in recent years.

According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), as of 2020, fossil fuels accounted for approximately 63% of the total power generation, followed by hydropower at 29%, nuclear energy at 5%, and renewable energy at around 3%.

Despite its vast potential for solar energy, Pakistan has only scratched the surface of its capabilities. The country is blessed with abundant sunshine, making it an ideal location for solar power generation. Pakistan’s government, recognising the importance of renewable energy, has introduced favourable policies and incentives to promote solar energy development. The Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) offers net metering and feed-in tariffs to encourage residential and commercial solar installations.

The increasing attractiveness of solar energy is expected to drive significant capital investment in Pakistan. Foreign direct investment (FDI) in the renewable energy sector has already been on the rise. Solar projects, including large-scale solar farms and distributed solar installations, offer lucrative investment opportunities. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has also played a crucial role in fostering solar energy cooperation between the two countries.

Several challenges need to be addressed to fully harness Pakistan’s solar energy potential. These challenges include the high initial costs of solar installations, limited access to financing, lack of awareness about solar energy benefits, and inadequate grid infrastructure.

To overcome these obstacles, the current government is working on a new 25-year energy policy that seeks to have 20-30% of all energy derived from renewable energy sources by 2030. The policy also aims to reduce dependence on imported fuel products and increase the share of indigenous resources.

The current government has approved the Alternative and Renewable Energy Policy 2019, which provides incentives and facilitation for renewable energy projects. The previous government also faced challenges in implementing the National Electricity Policy 2021, which was approved by the Council of Common Interests in February 2021.

The policy aimed to ensure affordable, reliable and sustainable electricity supply for all consumers, but faced resistance from some provinces and stakeholders over issues such as tariff determination, power sector governance and distribution reforms. The shift towards solar energy as an attractive investment option signifies a significant turning point in Pakistan’s power production landscape. The country has ample solar resources that can be harnessed to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels, enhance energy security, and contribute to environmental sustainability.

With supportive government policies, increased foreign investment, and technological advancements, solar energy has the potential to revolutionise Pakistan’s power generation sector.

Renewables developer Oracle Power PLC has signed a cooperation agreement with Chinese state-owned energy company PowerChina to jointly develop a 1GW solar PV project in Pakistan.

https://www.pv-tech.org/oracle-power-powerchina-to-build-1gw-solar-...

Located in Oracle’s Thar Block VI land – where it is currently developing a coal minefield – the project will be built in the southeast province of Sindh.

The agreement includes a feasibility study both companies will conduct, however, Oracle has not disclosed any date for the commercial operation of the solar project.

Power generated from the plant will either be integrated into the national grid or sold through power purchase agreements.

Oracle Power has been active in Pakistan lately where it signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Chinese state-owned China Electric Power and Technology for the potential development, financing, construction, operation and maintenance of a green hydrogen project in the Sindh Province.

Along with the construction of a green hydrogen facility, the MoU also includes the development of a hybrid project with 700MW of solar PV, 500MW of wind power and an undisclosed capacity for battery storage.

The 1GW solar PV project with PowerChina will be located 250 kilometres away from the proposed green hydrogen project Oracle aims to build in Pakistan.

Naheed Memon, CEO of Oracle, said: “The proposed development of the Thar Solar Project provides Oracle with the opportunity to not only develop a sizeable renewable energy project in Pakistan, but also to bring a long-term and sustainable business to our Thar Block VI asset.”

10,000mw solar power plants to be installed before summers 2023
These solar plants will generate 10,000 megawatts of electricity under the initiative, saving Pakistan's billions of dollars.


https://www.globalvillagespace.com/10000mw-solar-power-plants-to-be...

The prime minister directed that work on the project begin immediately in order to bring respite to the masses before the next summer season begins.

These solar plants will generate 10,000 megawatts of electricity under the initiative, saving Pakistan’s billions of dollars.

In the initial phase, the electricity generated will be distributed to government buildings, tube-wells, and families that utilize less units of electricity.

He has also directed that a conference be held next week to solicit bids for the project.

The prime minister, who presided over a conference in Islamabad to bring huge relief to the people, stated that solar energy should be used instead of imported oil. The decision was taken with an aim to save the foreign exchange rate as the country would not need to spend billions of dollars on importing fuel for electricity generation.

He urged that the project be implemented as soon as possible by the relevant authorities.

The situation of loss in income and rising electricity bills makes a huge economic and financial burden on households. Skyrocketing electricity bills have blown the minds of consumers.

Consumers strongly condemned skyrocketed electricity bills in the month of August, even during long hours of unscheduled load shedding followed by blackouts by Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) and demanded that the federal government take up this burning issue immediately.

The Rawalpindi bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) Tuesday suspended the collection of fuel price adjustment in electricity bills.

Justice Jawad Ul Hassan, while hearing the writ petition filed against the increase of taxes, directed WAPDA and NEPRA not to charge tax on consumers’ electricity bills. The judge also summoned the head of IESCO on September 15 and issued notices to the parties concerned to appear before the Court on the next hearing.

WAPDA & Al Maktoum's private office join hands for solar power development in Pakistan


https://www.globalvillagespace.com/wapda-al-maktoums-private-office...


Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) and the Private Office of Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum have signed two strategic memorandum of understanding (MoUs) for the development of a floating solar power project of up to 1000MW on existing water reservoirs and the rehabilitation, upgradation, and capacity enhancement of four hydro power projects in Pakistan.

Chairman Lt. Gen. Sajjad Ghani (Retd) of WAPDA and Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum expressed their mutual interest and enthusiasm to collaborate on future, long-term projects in Pakistan’s energy sector, with a specific focus on developing renewable energy solutions.

The MoUs aim to create a cooperative framework between the Private Office and WAPDA, facilitating collaboration and exploration of investment opportunities in Pakistan’s energy sector, particularly focusing on WAPDA’s small hydro power projects.

Read more: CPEC’s first hydropower plant in Pakistan begins full operations

Both parties have agreed to collaborate on upgrading and rehabilitating hydro power projects in Renala, Rasul, Chichokimalian, and Nandipur.

The parties have mutually agreed to collaborate in assessing the technical and economic feasibility of these projects, as well as formulating an implementation plan.

Ambitious solar project to join string of coal plants in Pakistan’s Thar district

https://www.thethirdpole.net/en/energy/ambitious-solar-project-to-j...

UK-based Oracle Power tells The Third Pole about a new solar project in the Thar desert, where the company is already exploring coal, as locals express scepticism about tall promises

Millions of solar panels are set to be mounted upon swathes of soil in Block VI of Tharparkar district’s coalfields in Pakistan – news that is making waves locally. Located 380 kilometres east of Karachi in Sindh province, these coalfields are divided into 14 blocks, but so far work has only begun in blocks I and II.

“It will be the largest [single solar plant in Pakistan] by a single entity,” says Naheed Memon, chief executive officer of the UK-based Oracle Power, the mining company behind this much-touted one gigawatt (GW) project.

If completed, the project could significantly help Pakistan to achieve its goal of deriving 60% of its energy from renewable sources by 2030. However, this particular solar project is being built in the shadow of ongoing coal projects in the Thar desert. In fact, Oracle Power is developing both solar and coal in the province.

Thar’s coalfields cover an area of 9,100 square kilometres and contain over 175 billion tonnes of lignite – a poor-quality and commonly more polluting type of coal. These lignite reserves are among the largest in the world.


‘Greening’ the coalfields
The solar project’s pre-feasibility study was completed by PowerChina, a Fortune 500-listed construction group. According to an agreement signed between Oracle and PowerChina in April 2023, the companies will work together in conducting the project’s necessary surveys; it also allows PowerChina to help arrange project finance. Elsewhere, the agreement includes references to a green hydrogen production facility being jointly pursued, 250 km away from Block VI.

The agreement details Oracle’s initial technical plan for the 1GW solar project, which proposes that it be developed on the “peripheral land of the mining area, occupying less than 25 percent of the Thar Block VI, and generating power from the Thar desert from a completely renewable source”. It also says the solar plant will be “deployed outside the potential built up and impact area of any coal-related project in the future”.

“Solar in Thar is an important initiative,” says Cheng Qiang, a spokesperson for PowerChina. The company has completed one solar and 23 wind projects in Pakistan.

“We want to generate renewable power in the desert for other mining operations as well as the railway line that is in the pipeline; our solar project will offset carbon emissions from the coal that is being mined and used to fire the two power plants [in Block 2],” Cheng added.

We asked Azhar Lashari, research and advocacy coordinator at the Policy Research Institute for Equitable Development, to put PowerChina’s carbon offsetting claims into perspective: “The narrative of ‘offsetting carbon emissions’ is controversial. It is nothing but continuing ‘business as usual’ and ‘greenwashing’ on the part of banks, companies and corporations like Oracle and PowerChina. How can a solar project neutralise the carbon emissions?”

Ambitious solar project to join string of coal plants in Pakistan’s Thar district

https://www.thethirdpole.net/en/energy/ambitious-solar-project-to-j...

With a 30-year mining lease of Block VI, Oracle Power has wanted to set up a 1,320 MW coal plant since 2016, when this was included in a list of energy projects under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). But this particular project has so far stalled due to financial hurdles.

Oracle’s Memon is adamant that the company is not turning its back on coal: “We are not abandoning hydrocarbons and our coal project is under development. We will complete it and are working with private investors.” Memon does concede, however, that financing continues to be a stumbling block.

The CEO also says that “dirty fuel cannot be eliminated completely” and that it “will be a gradual transition over the next few decades”. In the interim, she says, Pakistan is in “critical need of cheap, local, indigenous fuel-based power as base load, be it coal, oil or gas”.

Doing solar right in Pakistan’s Thar
“[Thar solar] will be an excellent opportunity for Oracle to diversify from its fossil-based portfolio,” says Haneea Isaad, an energy finance analyst at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. She also says that solar will be valued by local communities and could increase the productive use of energy in the region.


But the 1GW solar project also brings with it the risk of negatively impacting local communities. The project will use a large area of land (around a quarter of Block VI’s leased 66.1 sq km) to put up around 1.52 million solar photo-voltaic panels. Despite Oracle’s agreement with PowerChina, stating that the project will be developed on “unutilized land”, Memon concedes that the solar project may mean relocating some villages. “Resettlement will be done in line with the government’s directions,” she says, with provision of “all the necessities of life, like drinking water, shelter for animals and fodder”. In some cases, Memon says low-cost housing will be considered.

Memon claims she does not know which villages could be relocated; Lashari finds this hard to believe: “Memon must know the number of villages and the population that will be displaced, because displacement and relocation is inevitable since this involves massive land acquisition.”

Lashari adds that displacement involves both physical dislocation and livelihood disruptions: “When [the communities’] land is taken away, some lose their only means of livelihood and some the only occupation they know. They also lose the nearby grazing ground for their livestock. Often the pittance some get in the form of compensation is unwisely invested and so they are poorer off than they were before.”

According to Akram Ali Lanjo, a shopkeeper in the Thar village of Kharo Jani, the local community’s most pressing need is drinking water for households and livestock. These desert families rely on groundwater, which has turned ‘very salty’. Lanjo told us: “If anyone can turn our salty water to sweet, our woes will be addressed to a large degree.”

Lanjo also says that, while the villagers have nothing against the development itself, they would never part with their ancestral lands: “We can lease it out, but never sell it. And we do not want to be displaced.”

Lanjo cites the example of the Sehri Dars village, which was “decimated”. Its residents were relocated to a new village with the same name, built by the Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company. Both Lanjo and Lashari claim that the displaced villagers are unhappy in their new location.

As for concerns around water scarcity, Memon had this to say of the project: “There will be zero consumption of water for the cleaning of solar panels, as we will bring in state-of-the-art automatic cleaning robotic technology, which will keep the solar panels clean and in optimum form for maximum power generation.”

Ambitious solar project to join string of coal plants in Pakistan’s Thar district

https://www.thethirdpole.net/en/energy/ambitious-solar-project-to-j...


Sindh government ambitions
Oracle is currently looking to bring in international financiers to invest in its Thar solar project, as the Sindh government does not have a direct incentive for such projects. Nonetheless, it is keen to get the project off the ground.

Imtiaz Ali Shah, director of renewable energy at the Sindh government’s energy department told The Third Pole, “We will facilitate and support this attractive green energy project in every way, but the company needs to come up with a solid purchase agreement, their guarantors, a final study and a firm strategy.”

However, Shah acknowledges that more needs to be done for those areas that are not on the national grid, or those facing power outages: “Tharparkar district is one of the remotest and least-developed. If all the power produced by Oracle’s solar project is used there, I would consider it a big success as it will better the lives of the locals.”

People from different companies come, do surveys, make tall promises, and never return
Akram Ali Lanjo, shopkeeper in the Thar village of Kharo Jani
Shah also hopes that the project will provide livelihood for the locals. Parasram Archand, a 22-year-old teacher in a private primary school in Kharo Jan, doubts this claim, because most of the local villagers are uneducated. “But they can do labour [at the site],” counters Lanjo, who himself remained in formal education until he was 13.

“We would ensure most labour is local,” adds Memon, “especially during the construction when the company would need up to 2,500 people. [This] will be reduced along the way to 700 to 1,000 during operation and maintenance.”

Lanjo admits to feeling hopeful when a team from the city first visited the village some months ago and talked of the potential for a solar plant. On the other hand, he remains sceptical: “People from different companies come, do surveys, make tall promises, and never return.”

LONGi and Nimir Energy Forge Strategic Partnership to Advance Solar Energy Solutions in Pakistan

https://solarquarter.com/2023/07/20/longi-and-nimir-energy-forge-st...


LONGi and Nimir Energy announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at fostering collaboration in the development and deployment of solar energy solutions. This strategic partnership marks a significant milestone in the pursuit of sustainable and clean energy sources to meet Pakistan’s growing energy demand.

Under the terms of the MOU, Nimir Energy and LONGi will work together to explore opportunities and synergies in solar energy projects and capacity-building initiatives. The collaboration will leverage Nimir Energy’s expertise in project development and LONGi’s cutting-edge solar technology to drive the adoption of renewable energy in pan-Pakistan, pushing the government’s intent to promote solar.

Nimir Energy is part of Nimir Group, providing services in renewable energy with a primary focus on solar EPC for industrial, commercial and residential users. Nimir Group has been serving Pakistan and its business community since 1964 with a diversified range of products.


With climate action in full swing, Nimir would like to play a positive role in bringing in the right resources to ensure Pakistan’s transition to clean and sustainable energy. The company’s commitment to sustainable development aligns perfectly with LONGi’s vision to enable the world to transition to a low-carbon future through its industry-leading solar products and solutions.


LONGi, renowned for its high-efficiency solar modules and advanced photovoltaic technology, has emerged as a global leader in the solar industry. By joining forces with Nimir Energy, the company aims to expand its reach and accelerate the development of solar energy projects in key markets around the world.

“We are delighted to enter into this strategic partnership with LONGi, a company that shares our commitment to advancing renewable energy solutions,” said Waqas Ahmed Rana, COO of Nimir Energy. “Through this collaboration, we will combine our strengths and resources to drive innovation and promote the widespread adoption of solar energy, contributing to a more sustainable future.”

“LONGi is excited to join forces with Nimir Energy, a respected player in the renewable energy sector,” stated Ali Majid, Country head, Sales of LONGi. “Together, we can unlock new opportunities and create lasting impact by accelerating the deployment of solar energy projects worldwide. This collaboration exemplifies our dedication to addressing the challenges of climate change through technology innovation and sustainable business practices.”


With 90 terawatt-hours of total energy needed, Pakistan ranks among the top countries with huge potential for solar energy. Rising electricity prices and instability in the grid have added further to the woes of the average Pakistani consumer. LONGi envisions solving this problem by providing a cost-effective and high-quality solution to the public at large. As the biggest panel manufacturer in the world, LONGi plans to cater to all kinds of consumers with a focus on industrial users to provide services unparalleled in the market.

Kuwait’s EnerTech Holding Explores Renewable Energy Cooperation With Pakistan’s K-Electric

https://solarquarter.com/2023/08/14/kuwaits-enertech-holding-explor...


Kuwait-based energy firm EnerTech Holding is actively exploring collaboration and investment prospects with Pakistan’s K-Electric power supply company.

The objective is to expedite Pakistan’s shift to renewable energy sources, according to a joint statement released by the two entities this week. Pakistan’s energy imports, accounting for 30.7% of total imports, reached $17 billion during the previous fiscal year (2022-23).


To curtail its dependency on imported fossil fuels and conserve foreign currency, Pakistan aims to raise the proportion of clean energy in its energy mix to 60% by 2030, a considerable increase from the current 4% attributed to renewable sources.

Abdallah Al-Mutairi, the CEO of EnerTech Holding, expressed enthusiasm about K-Electric’s ambitions in line with Pakistan’s renewable energy vision. He stressed the potential of collaboration between EnerTech’s expertise and K-Electric’s legacy in driving substantial progress towards these goals.

K-Electric envisions catering to around five million customers with an electricity demand of 5,000 megawatts (MW) by 2030. The company aims to meet up to 30% of this demand through renewable energy, reducing reliance on imported fuels for electricity generation and benefiting the national economy.

Moonis Alvi, the head of K-Electric, highlighted the opportunity to work closely with global entities like EnerTech, possessing an established international presence and investment portfolio. This collaboration can facilitate the adoption of best practices, thus enhancing energy delivery to customers while promoting a greener and more sustainable future.

EnerTech Holding, a subsidiary of the National Technology Enterprises Company (NTEC) and an extension of the Kuwait Investment Authority, spans across 65 countries. Its collaboration with K-Electric aligns with both entities’ dedication to advancing sustainable energy solutions.

Haier revolutionizes cooling solutions with launch of Pakistan's first Solar Hybrid Air Conditioner


https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/28-Aug-2023/haier-revolutionizes-co...

Haier is proud to unveil an unprecedented leap in the realm of cooling solutions with the introduction of Pakistan's very first solar hybrid air conditioner. This groundbreaking innovation marks a monumental shift towards sustainable and energy-efficient living, setting new standards in the industry. The launch of the solar hybrid air conditioner underscores Haier's dedication to shaping a brighter future for generations to come.

The Haier solar hybrid air conditioner is a groundbreaking marvel that operates entirely on solar power during daylight hours, eliminating the need for any intermediary devices such as inverters, batteries, UPS, or converters. By seamlessly integrating four 540W solar panels and establishing a direct connection to the outdoor unit, the AC functions autonomously, setting an industry precedent. This marks a historic milestone in Pakistan, where an air conditioner operates directly on solar power without any supplementary support.

For the very first time, consumers can embrace cooling technology that not only cools their spaces but also ensures zero electricity bills during daylight hours. Never before in Pakistan has an air conditioner operated directly on solar power without any intermediate support. This innovative approach significantly minimizes the concerns related to electricity costs and additional equipment expenses. As daylight graces the solar panels, the AC operates exclusively on solar energy, providing cooling comfort without the burden of utility bills. The system seamlessly switches to the grid only in case of cloudy weather, mimicking the hybrid concept found in modern-day hybrid cars. Additionally, the same holds true for nighttime operations.

Solar, Wind, and Hydro: Pakistan's Transition to Renewable Energy

https://www.energyportal.eu/news/exploring-the-role-of-renewable-en...

Pakistan is taking significant steps towards a sustainable future by shifting from traditional fossil fuels to renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power. This transition not only benefits the environment but also strengthens the country’s economy and energy security. With over 11,000 MW of installed renewable energy capacity, accounting for over 32% of the total energy mix, Pakistan’s renewable energy sector has seen remarkable growth.

Solar energy presents a bright prospect for Pakistan. The country’s geographical location and climate conditions make it an ideal place to harness solar power. With an estimated potential of 2.9 million MW, Pakistan has a fantastic opportunity to diversify its energy mix and reduce its reliance on fossil fuels. Collaborations between energy companies like NIMIR Energy and solar panel manufacturer LONGi are driving the development and deployment of solar energy solutions, ensuring sustainable and clean energy sources for meeting the country’s growing energy demand.



---------

LONGi and Nimir Energy Forge Strategic Partnership to Advance Solar Energy Solutions in Pakistan

https://solarquarter.com/2023/07/20/longi-and-nimir-energy-forge-st...

Under the terms of the MOU, Nimir Energy and LONGi will work together to explore opportunities and synergies in solar energy projects and capacity-building initiatives. The collaboration will leverage Nimir Energy’s expertise in project development and LONGi’s cutting-edge solar technology to drive the adoption of renewable energy in pan-Pakistan, pushing the government’s intent to promote solar.

Nimir Energy is part of Nimir Group, providing services in renewable energy with a primary focus on solar EPC for industrial, commercial and residential users. Nimir Group has been serving Pakistan and its business community since 1964 with a diversified range of products.

With climate action in full swing, Nimir would like to play a positive role in bringing in the right resources to ensure Pakistan’s transition to clean and sustainable energy. The company’s commitment to sustainable development aligns perfectly with LONGi’s vision to enable the world to transition to a low-carbon future through its industry-leading solar products and solutions.

LONGi, renowned for its high-efficiency solar modules and advanced photovoltaic technology, has emerged as a global leader in the solar industry. By joining forces with Nimir Energy, the company aims to expand its reach and accelerate the development of solar energy projects in key markets around the world.

“We are delighted to enter into this strategic partnership with LONGi, a company that shares our commitment to advancing renewable energy solutions,” said Waqas Ahmed Rana, COO of Nimir Energy. “Through this collaboration, we will combine our strengths and resources to drive innovation and promote the widespread adoption of solar energy, contributing to a more sustainable future.”

“LONGi is excited to join forces with Nimir Energy, a respected player in the renewable energy sector,” stated Ali Majid, Country head, Sales of LONGi. “Together, we can unlock new opportunities and create lasting impact by accelerating the deployment of solar energy projects worldwide. This collaboration exemplifies our dedication to addressing the challenges of climate change through technology innovation and sustainable business practices.”

First solar school project in Pakistan inaugurated at Benchmark School



https://www.nation.com.pk/24-Sep-2023/first-solar-school-project-in...

According to Ms. Kulsoom Tanvir, Principal of Benchmark Schools, “We are very proud of being the first solar school project in Pakistan. The idea behind this project is to engage the youth of Pakistan in the areas of climate change and renewable energy resources. We appreciate all our students, teachers and project partners and hope to continue and build upon such projects in the future.”
The solar school project aims to spark the enthusiasm of the young generation for renewable energy sources, particularly in countries in which the awareness of renewables is still low. As a part of the project, local installers place a solar system specially designed for teaching purposes, which is then integrated into school lessons. The solar schools are also provided with so-called solar suitcases, which are used to integrate the topic of solar energy into physics lessons in a practical way with interactive experiments. The project started in 2021, funded by the German Federal Foreign Office. Before Benchmark School, 4 schools joined the project and network, in Tashkent (Uzbekistan), Karshi (Uzbekistan), Almaty (Kazakhstan) and Astana (Kazakhstan).

Pakistan's rooftop solar boom shines spotlight on power crisis - Nikkei Asia


https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Asia-Insight/Pakistan-s-rooftop-s...

ISLAMABAD -- Srinagar Highway offers a sun-drenched, 25-kilometer straight shot from Islamabad's international airport to the center of Pakistan's capital. It also affords a clear view of how increasing numbers of citizens are reacting to frequent power cuts and bloated electricity bills: Rooftops on buildings lining the route are covered in solar panels.

Atesham ud Din is among the homeowners who made the switch, investing $9,000 in a solar panel system two years ago to take advantage of one of Pakistan's most plentiful natural resources. "Now we never face the problem of power cuts, and our power bill is almost nil," the 34-year-old development professional told Nikkei Asia.

Amid rising power prices, consumption of electricity from the national grid skidded 10% in fiscal 2023 from the previous year. That is exacerbating problems in the crisis-ridden electricity sector, which is straining under $8.3 billion of debt, much of it owed to Chinese energy producers.

And the cash-strapped government is facing further pressure to increase electricity prices in budget-balancing moves on which its hopes of securing a loan deal with the International Monetary Fund rest.

The strain on the national grid is apparent. During the last week of June alone, there were 12 hours of "load shedding," or power cuts, in many areas of Lahore due to transmission flaws, reducing people's ability to use electric fans or air-conditioning systems just as temperatures in the city of more than 11 million people reached 46 degrees Celsius.



It's not immediately clear exactly how many people are switching to solar panels as an alternative source of electricity. Some households have opted for simple set-ups to fuel their own needs, residents says, while others, like ud Din, have invested significant sums into bigger solar panel systems, with a view to selling excess power generated to the national grid.

Saif ur Rehman, 48, a Lahore importer of medical equipment, has installed a system of 14 solar panels at his office.

"Now I can get peace of mind and focus on my business with uninterrupted access to electricity all day long and don't have to worry about load shedding," Rehman told Nikkei Asia.

Shahzad Qureshi, a vendor of solar panels in Lahore, said he has witnessed an exponential increase in sales of inexpensive panels, mostly imported from China.

"There is an increase of more than 50% in sales of solar panels this summer," he said. Panels cost $90 apiece on average, and vary in size and capacity.

The roots of the crisis in the power sector can be traced back to 1994, when Pakistan offered lucrative deals to foreign investors to establish power plants as the country with a rapidly growing population -- 130 million at the time, 241 million by 2023 -- chased economic growth.

Called independent power producers (IPPs), these operators secured a guaranteed return on investment indexed to the U.S. dollar, plus payment for fixed capacity charges -- covering their debt servicing and other fixed costs -- regardless of whether the power plants are operational.

Consequently, Pakistan pays a hefty amount to IPPs every year. In fiscal 2023, the government paid them $4.7 billion just for capacity payments. That figure is expected to cross $9 billion in fiscal 2024 due to a combination of factors, the most important being the reduction in demand for electricity.

Payment of capacity charges increases the electricity production costs for the government, which translates into increased power bills for consumers, a bane for large sections of society in a developing economy like Pakistan.

Pakistan's rooftop solar boom shines spotlight on power crisis - Nikkei Asia


https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Asia-Insight/Pakistan-s-rooftop-s...


The government initially sought to incentivize the solar panel business. In 2017, it started a system for "net metering," in which people can sell excess electricity produced by their solar panels back to the national grid.



In March 2023, a Gallup Pakistan survey found 88% of respondents expressing satisfaction with the overall performance of the solar panels installed at their homes.

Still, solar power has plenty of room to grow, since it contributes a negligible portion of Pakistan's power mix. As of June 2023, the installed capacity of solar power in Pakistan stood at 630 megawatts, just 1.4% of the overall installed power capacity.

And as per the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority's State of Industry Report 2023, there were merely 56,000 net-metering connections, representing just 0.15% of the nation's electricity consumers.

But the appeal of solar is evident in distant rural regions that have limited connections to the national grid.

For example, the remote village of Kardigap, in Balochistan province, nearly 1,000 kilometers southwest of Islamabad, gets electricity from the national grid for merely three hours per day. Solar panels are becoming more common on the rooftops of houses in the village of 5,000 people, according to one resident who has gone a stage further and installed a full solar energy system sufficient to cater to his household's needs around the clock.

Vaqar Ahmed, joint executive director at the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), an Islamabad-based think tank, agrees that solar energy offers an ideal solution for rural areas. "Solar has been a sort of blessing for rural areas of Pakistan, with more stable provision of energy, and these regions do not have high power demand," Ahmed said in an interview.

But even as the solar panel business has boomed, in March the government indicated it wanted to end the net-metering policy as it seeks to meet the IMF's criteria for state spending commitments.

Experts believe that the government is not sending a strong signal to potential investors in solar energy.

"Solar energy has faced policy whiplash in the last few years," said Aadil Nakhoda, an assistant professor of economics at the Institute of Business Administration in Karachi. "Frequent remarks by policymakers to reduce net-metering rates and then end the [practice] entirely has caused distress among domestic consumers."

Experts think the government fears that the continued spread of rooftop solar panels will increasingly lead to a loss of customers paying for electricity from the national grid.

A government official familiar with the developments told Nikkei on condition of anonymity, citing the sensitivity of the matter, that the government fears losing substantial investments in the electricity grid and generation systems: "If solar energy replaces [part of] the electric grid, then it will be a major economic blow that the government can't handle under current economic distress."

The Ministry of Energy did not respond to questions on the matter.

In the meantime, power industry watchers say solar offers one route for Pakistan to exit its energy woes.

"Pakistan has been ranked at No. 26 on the Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index by Ernst & Young," Aftab Alam, an expert on climate change and social development, told Nikkei Asia. "It would be an inexcusable failure if the government does not convert such blessings into socioeconomic development."

The SDPI's Ahmed said Pakistan could follow China's lead when it comes to solar power. "In China, there is no shortage of electricity but they are still building solar parks to keep future power needs in mind."

Pakistan's rooftop solar boom shines spotlight on power crisis - Nikkei Asia


https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Asia-Insight/Pakistan-s-rooftop-s...

As things stand, existing users of solar panels are counting on the government to facilitate the spread of solar energy.

Rehman, the businessman from Lahore, said the government should encourage the local manufacturing of solar panels, which would help to maintain foreign exchange reserves.

Khuram Idrees, a resident of Rawalpindi who has a solar system at his home, recommended that the government provide interest-free loans to consumers to install solar systems. "All around the globe, green energy is supported by governments by incentivizing people to adopt such technologies," Idrees told Nikkei.

Back by the Srinagar Highway, solar adopter ud Din remained concerned by the government's uncertain policy, saying its changing approach on net metering has confused the existing users.

"If the government scraps the net-metering policy, then we will be left high and dry, our investment will be wasted, which is a terrifying prospect," he said.

The rise of Pakistan’s C&I solar business – pv magazine International

“In 2022, 2.8 GW of solar panels were imported into Pakistan. In 2023, about 5 GW, despite the import controls, and this year the prediction is for up to 12 GW,” he stated. One of the main hurdles to address in Pakistan's C&I segment is access to financing.

https://www.pv-magazine.com/2024/05/28/the-rise-of-pakistans-ci-sol...

C&I power consumers are increasingly deploying solar arrays in Pakistan due to high energy prices and tariffs.

“The average industrial consumers currently pay a tariff of $0.12/kWh,” Omar Malik, the CEO of Pakistani solar developer Shams Power, told pv magazine. “But this is only half the story, as they also have to pay another $0.10 in taxes on every kilowatt-hour they purchase from the grid. The government relies on five to six sectors for the bulk of its indirect tax collection, with electricity being one of the largest ones.”

High-self consumption rates mean lower electricity costs and lower taxes. Under the nation’s current regulations, the sale of excess power to the grid under net metering is only allowed for generators up to 1 MW in size.

The government also only exempts import duties on solar panels. “The exemption on solar inverters has been recently removed,” Malik said. “But this has not had consequences on the market development.”

Pakistan’s National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) issued 1,596 net-metering licenses across the country with a cumulative capacity of 221.05 MW in the 2022-23 fiscal year, according to official statistics from the Associated Press of Pakistan.

Malik said the market is also growing in terms of panel imports.

“In 2022, 2.8 GW of solar panels were imported into Pakistan. In 2023, about 5 GW, despite the import controls, and this year the prediction is for up to 12 GW,” he stated.

Financing concerns

One of the main hurdles to address in Pakistan’s C&I segment is access to financing.

“Banks and lenders in Pakistan keep considering solar assets as very fast depreciating assets,” Malik explained, noting that the volatility of the Pakistani rupee is still an issue compared to India, where access to financing is easier. “The Indian currency is stable enough for international investors.”

Despite these challenges, Shams Power was able to raise $20 million debt from local banks backed by a guarantee from an international credit enhancer, GuarantCo.

“In order to achieve this, we have to bring the bank in at the project finance stage,” Malik explained. “Or we can even do this after a year or two of operation, when we have some defined cash flows and we can show how these assets are performing and get the portfolio refinanced.”

Many Pakistani companies that export denim and textiles to the US and European markets face pressure from their buyers to support their supply chains with clean energy.

“In effect, there is some pressure to move toward renewables, but it is not coming from the government,” said Malik.

Storage segment

The C&I segment does not yet offer a big business case for battery storage.

“Batteries are still not economically viable when it comes to grid parity owing to high duties and taxes on import of batteries and storage technologies,” Irteza Ubaid, chief operating officer for Shams Power, told pv magazine. “With the current electricity price scheme in place, you can only generate profits when there is a power outage. Or when peak rates hit, you can start using batteries. However, the levelized cost of storage of C&I tier-1 batteries today, however, is still close to $0.35/kWh. We are still not able to give an economic benefit to clients to set up storage because they can buy grid power at less than $0.30, they're really not interested – unless they have a continuous production process and cannot afford any interruptions.”

Pakistan Sees Solar Boom as Chinese Imports Surge, BNEF Says – BNN Bloomberg


https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-08-09/pakistan-sees-so...


(Bloomberg) -- Pakistan’s market for solar power is booming, propelled by a surge in imports from China, according to BloombergNEF.The country imported some 13 gigawatts of solar modules in the first six months of the year, making it the third-largest destination for Chinese exporters, according to a report by BNEF analyst Jenny Chase. Pakistan’s installed capacity to generate power is just 50 gigawatts. China is the world’s biggest producer of solar equipment.Solar is gaining traction in the South Asian nation following hikes in power prices over the past few years, with the latest increase in July triggering widespread protests. Higher rates have seen grid electricity consumption drop to the lowest in four years as many people switch to independent solar. “Pakistan’s market has the potential to continue to be very large,” said Chase. “If solar is solving the market’s power problems, there is no reason to expect a crash any time soon.”BNEF expects that the country will add between 10 gigawatts and 15 gigawatts of solar this year, mostly on homes and factories, making Pakistan the sixth-largest market in the world. Given the surge in imports, that figure could end up being far higher — or growth could stall if the grid situation improves, prices fall, or the market of middle-class people who can afford solar panels on their roofs saturates, according to the report.
There are other complications in accurately assessing the market and its prospects, said Chase. Those include wide discrepancies between official data on installations and imports, as well as claims last year that solar imports were used in money laundering schemes.

China adopted classic cutthroat pricing to shift a record 120,427 megawatts (MW) of solar module capacity exports in the first half of 2024, with Pakistan being Asia's largest single market, accounting for 10,450 MW.

Key to the strong export flow was a steep cut in module prices, which averaged 13.7 cents per megawatt over the first half of 2024, compared to an average of 18 cents/MW for the whole of 2023.

https://mettisglobal.news/pakistan-emerges-as-largest-asian-buyer-i...

The Netherlands remained the top country market for China's modules, taking in 23,421 MW of capacity during the opening half of the year.

Brazil was China's second largest market during the first half of the year, snapping up 10,511 MW of capacity.

Pakistan was the world's third and Asia's largest single market, accounting for 10,450 MW.

Meanwhile, India snapped up 8,324 MW.

------
Key Markets

Europe was the top destination for China's solar modules, accounting for 43% of the total, or 52,158 MW.

That total was down 20% from the same period in 2023, as high interest rates, economic growth concerns and trade tensions with China stifled solar installation demand across the continent.

Nonetheless, Europe's purchase total was the second highest tally for a half-year period behind the first half of 2023.

The Netherlands remained the top country market for China's modules, taking in 23,421 MW of capacity during the opening half of the year.

While that total was 25% less than during the opening half of 2023, The Netherlands' purchases were still more than twice the size of any other nation during the first half of the year.

Spain, Germany and Italy were also notable buyers in Europe, but all also showed steep year-on year contractions in purchase volumes, Ember data shows.

Brazil was China's second largest market during the first half of the year, snapping up 10,511 MW of capacity.

That total was up 10% from the same period in 2023, and contrasts with a slight contraction in imports by the Latin American region as a whole during the first half of the year.

Growth Areas

Asia was the second largest regional destination for China's solar parts, accounting for a record 32,109 MW of capacity, or around 27% of the total.

That total was 86% more than during the first half of 2023, and was driven mainly by strong growth in South Asia. Meanwhile, India snapped up 8,324 MW.

Both markets recorded more than 200% jumps in solar imports from the same period in 2023, and represent key growth markets for China in the future.

The Middle East was another key destination for China so far this year, with exports to the region topping 13,000 MW for the first half of the year to account for a record 11% share of China's total solar panel and parts exports.

That compares to 6,228 MW during the first half of 2023, and was driven in large part by strong purchases by Saudi Arabia (7,649 MW), United Arab Emirates (1,892 MW) and Oman (1,396 MW).

Elsewhere, North America remained a tiny market for Chinese panels and parts due to the ongoing trade spat between China and the United States, while Africa's purchases shrank by around 9% from the first half of 2023, and accounted for only 4.3% of China's total sales