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Pakistan must form the future of its clean capacity News | Environmental works
In the hot summer sun in the south of Punjab, the roof of the Lucky CEMENT factory shines with radiology -ray solar panels. Below, inside a quiet surveillance room, sitting rows of lithium ion batteries created by the Chinese company CATL. Although the factory usually derives from the national network when it is possible, these batteries can operate it during the power outage that has become almost a daily problem.
Through the crowded industrial areas in Pakistan – from the textile factories in Faisal Abad to food processing units in the bond – an increasing number of companies turns into the solar panels associated with batteries.
They try, along with the richest families, to overcome the high prices of electricity and climbing frequent load, as the energy is stopped into parts of the network to reduce the pressure on the power plants. Helping to lead this change is an unexpected factor: China produces more batteries than it can be used.
But instead of continuing to rely on the Chinese battery and solar products, Pakistan needs policies that enhance its manufacture locally, which makes this technology available to the poorest societies and encourages safe recycling.
China, Pakistan needs
Over the past few years, China has expanded its ability to produce the battery on a large scale to meet the needs of the electric car industry (EV) and government green energy targets. more Three quarters Among the world’s batteries are produced in China, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). However, EV sales in Europe and other markets slowly slowed, leaving Chinese companies a surplus.
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When clean energy becomes a luxury for a few, you risk deepening social divisions. Energy access is a right, not a privilege.
Asad Mahmoud, Development Specialist, Islamabad
Meanwhile, Pakistan is facing an increasing energy crisis with regular power outages and unbalanced electricity. The main reasons are investing in infrastructure and relying on expensive fossil fuel imports.
Thus, Pakistan is an ideal market for Chinese batteries manufacturers, who are now exporting its products at lower prices. Although the exact percentage is not available to the public, Pakistan is currently importing Majority From Lithium batteries from China, according to the Institute of Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEFA).
The price of battery packages based on lithium decreased 20 percent In 2024, partly driven by competition between Chinese companies, according to IEA. IEFA data indicated a mission to rise In the imports of lithium battery in Pakistan in the first two months of this year. If this trend continues, imports may almost double in 2025 compared to 2024.
Solar + Battery = Win?
Pakistanis use solar panels for years, especially in rural areas. However, without appropriate storage, benefits can only be felt during the day. Now, the mixture of solar panels with battery storage systems is to convert how to manage energy. In the nine months between July 2024 and March 2025, Pakistan imported 12.7 GW (GW) of solar PV – amazingly given its total ability to generate the power installed from all sources 46.6 GW.
If they already have solar panels, people connect them to Chinese lithium batteries to store the energy they generate. Meanwhile, commercial consumers and people in newly electric areas buy common solar systems.
New solar systems provide this energy at night or during power outages. For factories, shops and offices that need fixed energy supplies and usually depend on diesel generators, this is a significant improvement.
In Faisal Abad, the owner of a tissue mill told me that he cut his diesel consumption by 70 percent after installing a 1.5 -megawat battery system. He said: “We have cost this a lot, but we expect to recover in three years. Most importantly, we no longer have mercy on the facilities company.”
In the rich urban neighborhoods of Lahore, developers now offer homes with solar and battery systems as standard features. In the bond, some wealthy farmers use solar -powered tube wells with a battery backup to pump water even at night.
This silent revolution occurs throughout the country. From cold storage units in Balochistan to small IT companies in Islamabad, solar solar groups help people stay productive during power cuts for hours.
Unable
But while the most richer companies and families benefit, many of the poorest communities are left. Solar solar systems are still expensive, and government support for clean energy is the minimum. It is difficult to obtain microfinance loans for solar facilities, especially in rural areas and informal urban settlements. Persons deprived often lack the leaves or ground guarantees, making banks and smaller financing groups hesitant in issuing loans.
Asad Mahmoud, a development specialist in Islamabad, warns this trend against exacerbation of inequality. “When clean energy becomes luxury for a few, you risk deepening social divisions. Reaching energy is a right, not a privilege,” he says.
In many Katchi Abadis (Unofficial settlements) People still depend on illegal electricity communications. Diesel generators that are ventilated are also commonly common, as people are exposed to high energy costs and health risks.
Meanwhile, the owners of stores and young farmers, who are already struggling with inflation, find it difficult to invest in solar settings although they will save them in the long term. Without policy support, clean energy may remain far for people who need it more.
Dill the land or development partner?
There is also increasing concern among energy experts that Pakistan may become exaggerated on Chinese manufacturers.
Provided that his identity is not disclosed, says an energy researcher at Lahore University for Administrative Sciences, “Yes, we are getting technology at reasonable prices, but we also rely on one source. What if China changes export policies or battery prices rise again?”
There is also the increasing need to properly recycle batteries. Currently, Pakistan has 0 per cent The rate of electronic waste collection, according to the global electronic statistics partnership. Most lithium ion batteries end in waste burials or dismantling informal workers without any safety measures. This can lead to chemical pollution, fire risk and severe health risks.
In 2020, Pakistan pledged 60 percent of electricity from renewable sources by 2030. By 2023, the percentage was 40 percent if nuclear weapons and 26 percent were included if not, according to what it said. Ember. Solar systems can help achieve 60 percent target faster than large -scale dams or wind farms, which often face delay and political obstacles.
But now, this green transformation occurs without appropriate rules or planning. There are no national standards for battery installation, storage or safety. There is no clear integration for small solar systems in the main energy network. Most transition is driven by individuals and companies that work out of necessity.
An opportunity to rethink energy
Pakistan’s transition to Solar-Battery Systems provides a real opportunity to address the country’s energy problems with the help of the planet. But we must be careful. The current shift occurs more due to the market pressure from proper planning.
If Pakistan wants this energy transformation in favor of everyone, many important steps should be taken.
The government must create suitable laws for battery recycling to manage electronic waste safely and prevent environmental damage.
Clear criteria for product quality and installation practices should also be set to avoid accidents and low -imported accidents.
The subsidies and loan options that can be accessed to make solar systems must be provided easier, especially for farmers on a small scale, store owners and low -income families.
Finally, Pakistan must invest in developing local industries to produce major components locally, which reduces dependence on foreign imports and enhances energy independence.
We need national policies that make clean energy fair, safe and durable. We must build a system that supports both companies and poor families. We must ensure that the technology that we import today does not become a waste that we cannot deal with tomorrow.
While the sun continues to shine on the rooftops in Pakistan, the panels and solar batteries work on homes, shops and factories. But they also ask an important question. Do we form the future of our energy, or are we just interacting with what gives us the world?
This article was originally published on Earth dialogue Under the creative public license.
https://www.eco-business.com/news/pakistan-must-shape-its-clean-energy-future/
