Pakistan Achieves Historic Milestone in Solar Energy Usage
Islamabad: Pakistan has reached a historic milestone in solar energy adoption, as the country’s solar power usage surpassed the national grid during the summer months. According to a report by the *Policy Research Institute for Equitable Development (PRIED)*, consumers utilized **33 gigawatts (GW)** of solar power capacity compared to **28–30 GW** drawn from the national grid.
The report revealed that Pakistan has imported solar panels with a cumulative capacity of **50 GW**, while the total installed capacity of the national electricity grid stands at approximately **46 GW**.
Among the provinces, **Punjab** leads in solar energy usage, followed by **Sindh**, **Khyber Pakhtunkhwa**, and **Balochistan**.
By sector, the **residential sector** dominates with **16.66 GW**, followed by **industrial** (7.91 GW), **agricultural** (5.04 GW), and **commercial** (3.73 GW) usage.
The report further highlighted that **77% of electricity consumers** now rely primarily on solar systems for their energy needs, while only **23%** depend on the national grid.
This shift marks a significant transformation in Pakistan’s energy landscape, reflecting the growing trend toward renewable and self-sustaining power solutions.
