Pakistan is in the middle of a solar power revolution. Over the past five years, the percentage of electricity generated from solar panels jumped from 2% to nearly 25%. Almost all of that growth has been driven by individuals buying their own solar panels, removing their homes or businesses from…
Pakistan has been undergoing a significant transformation in its use of solar energy. In the last five years, the share of power produced by solar installations has increased sharply from 2 percent to almost 25 percent. Nearly all of this expansion stems from private citizens and companies purchasing their own solar equipment, disconnecting from the main power network, and producing energy independently. For a special report called The Big Fix, host Carolyn Beeler of The World interviews Naveed Arshad, who heads the Energy Institute at Lahore University of Management Sciences, to explore the reasons and methods behind Pakistan's adoption of solar technology.
Solar energy has experienced rapid growth across Pakistan. The nation now produces nearly 25 percent of its electricity from solar sources, compared to just 2 percent five years earlier.
This expansion shows no signs of slowing down.
The World is examining the factors driving this ongoing increase as part of The Big Fix, its series highlighting bold efforts by people to address the climate crisis.
“Most of the deployment happened on people rooftops, in industrial warehouses, even people bought chunks of land to install solar panels,” said Naveed Arshad, director of the Energy Institute at Lahore University of Management Sciences.
Arshad explained to The World that the major shift started after two events took place at the same time. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine caused global energy costs to rise dramatically. At the same time, Pakistan’s currency lost value, which pushed electricity prices even higher.
As a result, large numbers of people adopted solar systems to lower their expenses.
Solar power supports everyday appliances like washing machines and other essential items in villages such as Ismail Khan Khoso in Sohbatpur district of Pakistan’s Baluchistan province. In the rural parts of Baluchistan, electricity for coping with intense summer temperatures is available only to those who managed to protect their solar equipment from flood damage.
Arshad noted that certain aspects might be difficult to copy elsewhere, while others could be more easily adopted. For instance, Pakistan benefits from mostly flat rooftops, unlike places with sloped surfaces, which simplifies the process of setting up solar arrays. The country also has a large workforce of solar technicians who can be found even in remote rural communities, where panels and related services are readily accessible. The flexible nature of solar technology allows setups ranging from a single panel to very large arrays of any size.
Additionally, the government has played a supportive role by eliminating import duties and taxes on solar products, providing loans with favorable terms, and beginning to equip its own facilities with solar power. These steps have attracted numerous installers and firms to the market, drawn by substantial orders. The supply network has expanded as well, with hundreds of businesses now providing panels and associated services throughout Pakistan.
The most notable aspect of this development, according to Arshad, is that Pakistan achieved it entirely without outside funding. The effort relied on personal savings or bank financing. This stands out as a positive example of self-reliance in building out solar capacity.
Sheep graze under solar panels in Hainan prefecture of western China’s Qinghai province, July 1, 2025.
Arshad addressed whether this model faces sustainability issues by pointing out that solar differs from fuels that must be continually replenished. Once installed, a panel can operate for 15 to 20 years as a durable investment. However, a key difficulty remains because China is currently the sole major supplier capable of delivering panels at scale and competitive costs. In response, Pakistani authorities are developing a policy to promote domestic manufacturing by supporting local firms in establishing production facilities. The timeline and capacity of these new plants will become clearer over the coming years.
Parts of this interview have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Originally reported by The World from PRX on May 14, 2026.
