Pakistan has emerged as one of the world’s fastest-growing solar markets, importing more solar panels from China in 2024 than several G20 countries, according to a new report by clean energy think tank Renewables First. The country brought in over 16 gigawatts (GW) of solar panels from China this year alone, with total imports over the past five years reaching a staggering 39GW — equivalent to more than three-quarters of Pakistan’s total installed power generation capacity.
The report, titled “Leader of One or Leader of None – China’s Choice for Clean over Coal in Pakistan”, positions Pakistan at the heart of a profound global energy shift, where rooftops, farms, and industrial sheds, rather than top-down policy, are driving what it calls a “Solar Rush.”
While China continues to finance coal-fired power plants in Pakistan, the rapid adoption of low-cost solar technology is reshaping the country’s energy landscape. Several coal plants are now running at minimal capacity, with some recording utilization rates as low as 4% in 2024. As solar generation grows and self-generation becomes more viable, these once-critical plants have turned into costly, underutilized assets with ballooning capacity payments.
The report underscores a striking contradiction: “China’s solar panels are outcompeting China’s power plants,” said lead author Muhammad Basit Ghauri. This dynamic has created what the study calls a strategic paradox, with Pakistan becoming the first large-scale example of this clean energy disruption in the Global South.
Despite the surge, the report warns that Pakistan’s solar success cannot rely on imports alone. A sustainable transition will require investment in energy storage, grid modernization, local panel manufacturing, financing tools, and a clear roadmap for retiring stranded coal assets.
It concludes that while Pakistan is currently the frontline of this transformation, other countries are likely to follow. If China succeeds in addressing these challenges, it could not only solidify its leadership in global clean energy but also help reshape the energy future of the Global South into one that is rapid, equitable, and transformative.
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