Pakistan's largest source of electricity is now solar power
What's the story
Pakistan has witnessed one of the world's fastest rooftop solar booms, with solar power becoming the country's biggest source of electricity during peak demand. This transformation is largely due to the widespread adoption of rooftop solar panels by households and businesses, spurred by rising electricity tariffs and frequent blackouts. The shift is not government-led but rather driven by ordinary citizens installing solar panels on their rooftops.
Capacity growth
Pakistan added around 27GW distributed solar
Between 2023 and 2025, Pakistan added around 27 gigawatts (GW) of distributed solar capacity. This is roughly equal to the country's entire conventional thermal power capacity built over decades. The country has also become one of the world's largest importers of Chinese solar panels, importing over 16GW annually in both 2024 and 2025.
Supply increase
Rooftop solar now nearly 28% supply
Currently, rooftop solar accounts for nearly 28% of Pakistan's electricity supply. This is a significant increase from around 10% two years ago. The transition to solar power has been driven by economics rather than government incentives, with cheaper Chinese-made solar panels making rooftop systems affordable for households, businesses, and farmers.
Economic impact
Solar cuts fuel imports, boosts reliability
The solar revolution has brought wider economic benefits to Pakistan. Reliable daytime electricity has allowed households to use appliances without worrying about outages, while farmers have replaced diesel-powered irrigation pumps with solar-powered systems. Analysts estimate that the country has reduced billions of dollars in oil and liquefied natural gas imports by generating more electricity from solar power.