KEY POINTS
- Solar power became Pakistan’s top electricity source this year.
- In the first four months of 2025, Pakistan imported over 10,000 MW of solar components.
- It aims to generate 60 per cent of electricity from renewables by 2030.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has taken a giant leap in the global renewable energy race by becoming the first populous nation to source a quarter of its utility electricity from solar power this year.
Surpassing many developed countries and regions, Pakistan’s solar ascent is not just remarkable — it’s reshaping the country’s energy future.
According to the latest data from Ember — a British think tank — Pakistan’s solar electricity generation has skyrocketed, growing at a rate more than three times faster than the global average in 2025.
This surge is powered by an extraordinary fivefold increase in solar capacity imports from China since 2022, propelling solar power from being Pakistan’s fifth-largest electricity source in 2023 to its leading source in 2025.
Exclusive solar club
Solar farms contributed an average of 25.3 per cent of Pakistan’s utility electricity between January and April 2025, placing Pakistan among fewer than 20 countries worldwide where solar makes up more than 25 per cent of monthly utility electricity.
To put it in perspective, the global average solar share sits at just 8 per cent, with major economies like China at 11 per cent, the United States at 8 per cent, and Europe at 7 per cent.
This solar milestone positions Pakistan alongside European powerhouses such as Germany, Spain, and Denmark — countries that rapidly expanded renewable energy following the 2022 energy crisis sparked by geopolitical tensions.
Outside Europe, only Australia and Chile join Pakistan in this elite solar generation league, making Pakistan’s achievement even more striking given its status as a developing economy.
Import powerhouse
The driving force behind Pakistan’s solar revolution is the booming import of solar modules from China. Imports surged from around 3,500 MW in 2022 to a record-breaking 16,600 MW by 2024.
In 2025 alone, Pakistan imported over solar modules with a capacity exceeding 10,000 MW in the first four months — a nearly 18 per cent rise compared to the same period last year — capturing roughly 12 per cent of China’s total solar exports.
This import binge has fuelled a rapid expansion of solar farms across the country, drastically transforming Pakistan’s electricity mix.
Solar power now leads the pack, followed by natural gas, nuclear, coal, and hydropower — a dramatic shift in just a couple of years.
Solar-powered future
Pakistan’s ambitions don’t stop here. The government aims to generate 60 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030, doubling the 28 per cent share of electricity from renewables recorded in early 2025.
Solar energy, being the fastest and most cost-effective route, will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in achieving this target.
