Solar power News and Updates.

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Solar-powered inverters ​

Recorder

LAHORE: Excessive panel imports have encouraged aggressive solar power system installations by consumers across the country to reduce their inflated power bills.

This was stated by Adil Mehmood, the former president of the Sheikhupura Chamber of Commerce & Industry, while sharing his views about solar industry.

According to him, solar panel dealers are busier than last year, while dealers of power generators and Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) have still been waiting for the buyers to turn up. A few years back, UPS used to rule the market when battery prices were also lower.

He said the corporate sector, industries, educational institutions and petrol pumps are also converting into solar systems to save overhead costs.

“In 2023, the imports of solar panels totalled 4,000 gigawatts (GW), but this figure has already been surpassed by a big margin in just few months,” he said, adding: “The consumers are benefiting from cheaper panels but are still waiting for a cut in battery and inverter prices as this would greatly help people install solar power system to overcome high electricity bills.”

He feared hike in inverter prices due to 30-40 percent increase in valuation of inverters. This may cause some problems for the solar industry as well as for those people who are planning to convert on solar system, he feared.

Welcoming the Punjab government announcement to provide solar panels to the people on this Independence Day, he said the government needs to help promote solarisation in the country by extending incentives or giving soft loans to both the people as well as industry. By converting industries on solar system, the industrial sector can grow significantly, he said, adding: “The government must facilitate in this regard and reduce valuation of inverters to achieve desired results.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

Hike in prices of solar-powered inverters expected

LAHORE: Excessive panel imports have encouraged aggressive solar power system installations by consumers across the...

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200,000 families to get solar home system with 80pc subsidy: Murad​

Energy dept signs three framework agreements; solar panel with battery, one DC fan and three LED bulbs to cost Rs55,000.

 

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“The global photovoltaic industry is developing in full swing. China-Pakistan cooperation in related industries can make due contributions to the global response to climate change,” Ali Majid, Pakistan General Manager of LONGi, emphasized, “By providing high-quality solar panels and promoting sustainable energy solutions, we are aiding the country in achieving its renewable energy goals.”

A solar energy revolution is taking place across Pakistan.

Since July, Sindh Province has announced that it will promote 200,000 PV home systems across the province, and plans to build several large-scale photovoltaic projects, each with a capacity of 305 MW.

Balochistan’s PV conversion plan is proceeding in an orderly manner, which will help agricultural water wells switch from fossil fuel-driven to PV power generation, thereby reducing fuel costs and improving energy efficiency.

Since August, Punjab Province has also introduced a policy of free supply of PV modules. For citizens with electricity consumption of no more than 200 units, the policy allows them to obtain photovoltaic modules for free from August 14, while citizens with electricity consumption of more than 200 but no more than 500 units will have to pay 10% of the cost, and the remaining 90% of the cost will be borne by the government.

Under this policy, it is expected that the electricity cost burden of low-income households will be reduced by about 40%.

 

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Solar power gains momentum as industries expand investment in Pakistan

The Nation
Mar 31, 2025

Pakistan’s solar energy sector has gained momentum in recent years, with increasing investments in renewable energy infrastructure. The country has seen a steady rise in solar adoption across industrial, commercial, and residential sectors, driven by rising electricity costs, frequent power shortages, and government incentives promoting clean energy. Against this backdrop, global solar leader Trinasolar has further strengthened its commitment to Pakistan by signing MoUs with major distributors at the Solar Pakistan 2025 exhibition in Lahore.

The agreements, signed with Mesol, Diwan, NMC Group, and Premier Energy, will facilitate the distribution of Trinasolar’s 210mm n-type i-TOPCon Vertex N modules across Pakistan. These advanced solar modules, including the 725W (NEG21C.20), 645W (NEG19RC.20), and DUOMAX N 600W (NEG18C.20), offer high efficiency, better performance under extreme temperatures, and lower Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE), making them well-suited to Pakistan’s diverse climate conditions.

Industry experts believe these partnerships will accelerate Pakistan’s renewable energy transition by improving the availability of reliable and cost-effective solar solutions. Speaking at the signing, Edison Zhou, Head of Pakistan, Australia, and New Zealand said: “We are proud to collaborate with leading Pakistani distributors.

These agreements mark an important step in expanding access to our latest Vertex N modules and supporting Pakistan’s clean energy future.”

Representatives from local distributors also highlighted the importance of these collaborations. Yousuf Allahwala, Director of Mesol, stated that the partnership would bring “world-class solar technology” to Pakistan, while Saleem Diwan, CEO of Diwan, said it would help businesses achieve “maximum performance and long-term savings.”

The industry remains at the forefront of the global solar industry, recently surpassing 170GW in 210mm module shipments, maintaining its position as a BNEF Tier 1 Energy Storage Manufacturer, and reinforcing its commitment to innovation and sustainability.

 

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Industry backs early approval of solar projects​

NEPRA conducts hearing on KE's two clean energy projects in Sindh

Correspondent
April 16, 2025

Photo: Stardust Solar Energy Inc


Stakeholders from the industry and the government have voiced strong support for the early approval of centralised solar projects while citing their competitive tariffs and potential to reduce national electricity costs and subsidies.

At a public hearing convened by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) on K-Electric's (KE) auction evaluation reports for its 120-megawatt and 150MW solar projects in Deh Halkani and Deh Metha Ghar, respectively – both located in Sindh – the stakeholders shared their views on the proposed tariffs and project execution.

The Request for Proposals (RFP) for KE's 640MW renewable energy projects had been floated early in 2024. In December 2024, Nepra conducted hearings on the power utility's 150MW solar projects in Winder and Bela (Balochistan), followed by hearings in February for its 220MW hybrid project in Dhabeji.

Company officials highlighted that they had assessed the reduction in KE's generation cost through the addition of 120MW and 150MW projects and the expected displacement of power generation based on expensive fuel.

It was ascertained that annual savings would be Rs3,477 million while aggregate savings over 25 years would go up to Rs86,937 million. These projects will also help realise foreign currency savings of $765 million in the entire time frame.

KE officials emphasised that the bidding process had been carried out transparently and in accordance with the regulatory guidelines. They mentioned that the inclusion of both physical and electronic submissions pointed out the company's dedication to fairness and openness throughout the process.

The officials stressed that the bidding process, which yielded a tariff bid from Kapco, followed Nepra's guidelines and was conducted transparently, including advertisements in the international and local newspapers.

Nepra voiced concern over the justification of accepting a single bid and asked why a second round was not initiated. KE responded that procedural delays impacted feasibility timelines and may have deterred other bidders.

KE said that the decision was based on comparative benchmarking with similar projects and the urgency of delivering low-cost energy to consumers.

Nepra also discussed the prudence and assumptions underpinning the business plan, particularly regarding the debt-equity structure and fuel displacement figures.

KE officials responded that all the standard prudency checks had been observed, with estimated annual fuel savings of Rs1.6 billion and Rs1.8 billion from these projects, alongside potential annual foreign exchange savings of over $30 million.

They added that across KE's full portfolio of 640MW of renewable energy projects, expected savings could reach up to Rs12 billion per annum.

The proposed tariff is levelised – not cost-plus – and was defended as competitive and economically justified under the current market conditions. KE reiterated that the associated transmission infrastructure had already been assessed with support from the World Bank and necessary NOCs were secured.

The proposed tariff structure was lauded, with hearing participant Rehan Javed describing it as very good and advantageous for both consumers and the government. He emphasised the affordability of the tariff and stressed the need for expediting approvals pertaining to the right of way and transmission infrastructure.

It was suggested that Hesco and Sepco should also be involved in future planning to encourage industrial growth in the south and reduce transportation costs.

Another participant requested Nepra to share the timeline for issuing a decision on KE's renewable energy projects so that the benefit could be passed on to consumers; to which Nepra member assured that it would be announced within two months.

Transaction Adviser to the Government of Sindh Irfan Yousuf expressed confidence in the competitiveness of the process and emphasised that it was conducted transparently and provided all bidders with an equal opportunity to participate.