ISLAMABAD: Pakistan no longer faces a shortage of electricity generation but must now invest in energy storage and a more flexible power grid to manage the rapid growth of rooftop solar, Power Minister Awais Leghari said on Tuesday, describing the country’s energy transition as one driven…
Pakistan has resolved its electricity generation shortages and now must concentrate on upgrading its power grid flexibility and energy storage capabilities to handle the swift expansion of rooftop solar adoption, Power Minister Awais Leghari stated on Tuesday. Speaking at an international conference focused on battery energy storage systems, he characterized the nation's ongoing energy shift as a movement propelled primarily by everyday consumers rather than state directives.
In recent times, commercial enterprises, agricultural operators, and residential users across Pakistan have increasingly adopted rooftop solar arrays to bypass soaring electricity costs and continuous utility rate hikes. Although this transition has successfully decreased daytime grid strain, it presents new logistical hurdles because energy consumption stays high after sundown when solar output drops off significantly.
According to Leghari, clean resources such as nuclear, hydro, wind, and solar already account for roughly 55 percent of Pakistan's electricity generation, with the administration aiming to elevate this share to 90 percent by 2035. He noted that battery storage is vital for reaching this objective by capturing surplus daytime solar power for deployment during high-demand evening hours, while also shielding the national economy from global energy volatility.
To support this transition and curb reliance on imported fuels susceptible to international price fluctuations and geopolitical conflicts, the Ministry of Industries is drafting a local battery manufacturing policy to promote domestic production. Furthermore, the government has set up a national steering committee on battery energy storage systems, alongside technical and regulatory working groups tasked with establishing pilot initiatives, commercial frameworks, and national standards.
Leghari expressed that the state aims for domestic firms to transition past simple technology imports, encouraging them instead to manufacture components, assemble battery packs, create battery management software, and cultivate local engineering skills to back the country's long-term energy evolution.
Originally reported by Arab News PK on Aug 4, 2026.
