Lahore:
The recent government’s recent decision to reduce the repurchase rate for the excess solar energy from RS27 to RS10 per unit has aroused many concerns in the Pakistan solar energy sector, considerably landing the interest of consumers and slowing down the pace of new facilities.
Industry stakeholders, including importers and suppliers of solar systems, warn that the absence of a clear and coherent net policy has eroded market confidence.
Traditionally, demand from the solar system culminates before summer while households and businesses are preparing to increase electricity costs.
This year, however, has ecological the trend, many companies signaling slow sales despite record-in-law prices for solar equipment.
Addressing Express PK Press Club, Rehan Adnan Qureshi, the CEO of a solar energy company, said that the expected seasonal overvoltage was not materialized.
“Each year, we see a strong increase in demand as summer approaches. This time, uncertainty around the net measure has made consumers hesitant,” he said. Qureshi noted that the dynamics of the global market, in particular a production surplus in China, has considerably reduced the costs of solar panels, creating conditions favorable to buyers.
“Solar systems are more affordable than ever. But due to the ambiguity of politicians, people are hesitant to invest,” he added.
Currently, grade solar panels has coupled with brand shoes are assessed between RS100 and RS120 by Watt – down RS160-165 just a few years ago. Market data show that a 5 -kilowatt system (KW) now costs around 600,000 rupees, while a 10 kW configuration is at RS1.15 million.
The larger 15 kW and 20 kW systems cost approximately 1.4 million rupees and 1.8 million rupees, respectively. Muhammad Hanif, another importer of solar equipment, has confirmed the continuous decrease in prices, costs lowering from RS1 to RS3 by Watt in recent weeks. However, he noted a change in consumer behavior.
“There is an increasing interest in hybrid solar systems with the storage of batteries. People prefer to store energy for personal use rather than selling it at the new reduced rate,” said Hanif.
Battery sales have experienced a significant increase while more and more users are continuing self -sufficiency. “The RS10 redemption rate per unit simply no longer justifies power to the network,” he added.
The industrial sector is also faced with opposite winds, because the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) delays approvals for electricity purchase agreements, adding additional uncertainty to the market.
With stakeholders who sound the alarm, the solar energy industry urges the government to give clarity and transparency on net measurement regulations. Without a stable and favorable political framework, warn experts, the significant progress made in the adoption of renewable energies could start to decline.
According to the Global Electricity Review 2025 by Energy Think Tank, based in the United Kingdom, Pakistan imported a record of 17 gigawatts (GW) of solar panels in 2024 – more than double the previous year, which placed it among the best solar markets in the world.
