Lahore, November 17, 2023: The Pakistan Solar Association (PSA) Chairman Amir Chaudhry has said that they are thrilled to announce their commitment to collaborate with the Government of Pakistan in realizing the ambitious vision of achieving 60% renewable electricity by 2030.
Addressing an event titled Lets Grow Together on Friday here, he said that the PSA recognizes the significance of recent initiatives, such as the 10 GW Fast Track projects launched by the Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) and the Energy Ministry last year.
In alignment with this vision, he said that PSA applauds initiatives such as the solarization of public buildings, tubewells, and 11 kV feeders, each with tremendous potential exceeding 1,000 MW, 2,500 MW, and 2,000 MW, respectively. Notably, he said, PSA emphasizes the importance of local private sector companies taking a leading role in financing these projects, minimizing reliance on foreign investors or donors.
PSA Former Chairman Rana Abbas said that PSA was eager to collaborate with the government to ensure the success of these projects and actively participate in developing additional initiatives that will contribute to the national energy transition.
One of PSA’s key targets is to reach a significant milestone – installing 4 GW of solar capacity by 2024. This ambitious goal translates to 16 million kWh (units) of solar energy generated per day, resulting in a substantial daily savings of Rs. 800 million and an impressive annual savings of almost Rs. 300 billion on electricity costs. This impact alone, focusing on households, is expected to benefit 800,000 households, marking a notable stride toward a sustainable and cost-effective energy future.
Senior Vice Chairman PSA, Zakir Ali said that the solar industry in Pakistan provides employment opportunities for a diverse range of workers, from semi-skilled and low-skilled laborers to graduates and technicians involved in system design and deployment. He also highlighted challenges faced by the industry such as import/LCs issues which are faced on regular basis that lead to unrest in industry from Importer to trader to installers to end users and halt the wheel of business.
Another challenge is to simplify net metering process, with the need for a one window solution and implementing digital application processing.
Former Chairman, Muhammad Farhan emphasized the need for enhancement in skillset of existing installers to improve quality of installation and Importance of keeping the solar panels clean and periodic checkup of solar system to avoid any mishap.
PSA is willing to work with AEDB, NEPRA and relevant authorities to find solutions for the above challenges
PSA is confident that by working closely with the government and local stakeholders, the solar industry will play a pivotal role in propelling Pakistan toward a sustainable, clean energy future, fostering economic growth and job creation along the way.
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