A people-powered energy revolution: The Great Solar Rush is here to stay

Pakistan’s solar revolution is rewriting the energy landscape as communities and businesses take control of their power supply, outpacing government policy and infrastructure. With 22 GW of solar panels imported in just 18 months, the country is experiencing a mass shift towards decentralized solar solutions. However, this momentum must be supported with policy reforms, infrastructure upgrades, and market mechanisms to ensure long-term sustainability.

At the Great Solar Rush Conference 2025, held at Serena Hotel, Islamabad, Senator Sherry Rehman emphasized the urgency of policy alignment with this people-led transformation. “Pakistan has emerged as a market leader in South Asia for solar adoption. We should not be disabling this revolution; we should be enabling it.” She cautioned that failure to integrate solar into national planning would stall Pakistan’s progress on energy security and economic stability.

Zeeshan Ashfaq, CEO of Renewables First, highlighted the economic realities driving this transition. “Millions of people are simultaneously deciding that they have had enough of expensive grid electricity and are rushing towards installing solar PV panels—not because of climate change or government policies, but because economics make perfect sense.” He urged policymakers to embrace distributed generation as part of future energy planning, rather than obstruct it.

Muhammad Mustafa Amjad, Director of Programs at Renewables First, underscored the unprecedented scale of Pakistan’s solar boom. “When we say 16 gigawatts of solar panels came into Pakistan within a single fiscal year, we are essentially talking about 23 times the installed utility solar capacity.” He warned that grid electricity consumption has fallen by 10%, decoupling from GDP growth for the first time, signaling a permanent shift in energy demand patterns.

The first-panel discussion explored solar supply chains, net metering reforms, and policy strategies to sustain the solar boom. Ali Majid, General Manager of Longi, pointed out that Pakistan’s high electricity costs and lack of local manufacturing make it uncompetitive for solar panel production. He proposed that public sector projects should be mandated to use ‘Made in Pakistan’ panels to attract international investment in local assembly plants. Waqas Moosa, Chairman of the Pakistan Solar Association, reinforced that Pakistan’s solar adoption is at an unprecedented level globally, and warned that poorly communicated policy changes could create instability in the market.

The second panel discussion focused on strengthening grid infrastructure to accommodate increasing solar penetration. Syed Faizan Ali Shah, Member of the Prime Minister’s Solarization Committee, noted that daytime energy demand has fallen by 10 TWh annually due to solar adoption, creating challenges for grid operators. He emphasized that Pakistan’s grid must urgently integrate smart metering and distributed energy controls to manage solar power fluctuations. Umer Farooq of LUMS Energy Institute echoed this sentiment, stating that Pakistan’s energy planning must shift from a top-down approach to decentralized, smart-grid solutions to balance supply and demand efficiently.

In his keynote address, Dr. Fiaz Chaudhary, Chairman NTDC, stressed that Pakistan’s energy institutions failed to proactively plan for the solar boom, leaving the grid unprepared for reverse power flows and decentralized generation. He criticized outdated regulations and infrastructure, calling for real-time data monitoring and smarter grid controls. He warned that net metering creates financial imbalances as solar prosumers pay less for grid maintenance, urging policy reforms to ensure stability. Dr. Fiaz emphasized that solar must complement, not disrupt, the grid, and called for industrial growth to balance energy demand.

The conference made it clear: Pakistan’s solar transition is unstoppable. However, without policy updates, infrastructure investments, and smart grid solutions, the full benefits of this transition could be lost. The government, regulators, and industry stakeholders must now work together to modernize the energy sector, integrate storage solutions, and ensure a fair, competitive electricity market that benefits both consumers and utilities.