ISLAMABAD: The low amount of clean energy in Pakistan’s overall energy mix results in expensive and ecologically unfavorable electricity for consumers. In this sense, China’s rural solar strategy provides Pakistan with valuable experience in enhancing clean and affordable energy.
Speaking with WealthPK, Sohail Mahmood, DG of the China-Pakistan Study Centre at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI), stated that China is rapidly constructing rooftop solar installations on a big scale in rural regions.
According to the China National Energy Administration, China installed an unprecedented 87.4 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity this year, a 59% increase over the previous year. This boosts the country’s total installed photovoltaic capacity to 392.6 GW.
Over 51 gigawatts of newly additional solar power came from distributed photovoltaic projects, with nearly half generated by panels installed on rural private dwellings.
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While most solar farms are located in western regions with plenty of land and sunlight, the more economically developed and densely populated eastern regions, which account for a sizable portion of the country’s energy demand, currently rely on electricity generated and transmitted from the western regions.
He noted that, like China, Pakistan has the potential to improve solar photovoltaic energy in the vast rural areas of Balochistan and Punjab, where there is plenty of land and maximum sunlight exposure. The generated energy might then serve as a clean energy source for urban areas in Punjab. WEALTHPK
