Pakistan's solar miracle – how the hell did they do it?

7 hours ago

Pakistan imported more Chinese solar panels than any other country in 2025 without government subsidies or national schemes, driven by private decisions.
Solar became Pakistan's largest electricity source by summer 2025, with about 25% share during peak months, largely from unmeasured rooftop installations.
The solar boom stems from broken trust in the grid due to chronic load-shedding and high electricity costs, which tripled in a decade, making solar a cost-effective alternative.
Pakistan's power sector faces a capacity surplus but cannot afford to run plants, leading to circular debt and scheduled outages that can last up to 20 hours daily in some areas.
The rapid, unmanaged solar transition has triggered a utility death spiral, where exiting customers shift grid costs to those remaining, raising equity concerns and prompting regulatory changes.
Pakistan's experience serves as both a preview for similar countries and a cautionary tale about the challenges of grid management and infrastructure funding in distributed solar adoption.

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