Renewable energy

E-Paper | April 26, 2026

EVERYONE in Pakistan knows about the importance of alternative/renewable energy in order to lessen loadshedding. This can only be achieved by setting up plants within the country. In the case of solar energy, the main component is solar panel, which is being imported now and is not cost-effective.

The cheap solution is to establish the panel manufacturing facility in the country. The main ingredient is mono/poly/ micro crystalline silicon which is available in abundance in the country. The rest of the ingredients consisting of cadmium telluride and copper indium selenite/sulphate can be imported.

After the establishment of this facility, solar energy can be made available in most of rural areas where access of supply through national grid is not possible.

Since energy starvation is a national issue and can be addressed by providing funding required by the newly-formed government.

RIAZ AKBAR Wah Cantt

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Tamilselvan

Mar 19, 2013 01:57pm

Instead of buying arms from China, Pakistan needs to buy solar panels from them and instead of blaming Mr. Modi learn from Gujarat the usage of panels to generate power in a vast scale. Across the border Pakistan is arid and the land can be used to generate solar power. This will help reduce the poverty of people in the region

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Neptune Srimal

Mar 19, 2013 04:44pm

The world market has a glut of solar panels and the price is really low now. A new solar panel factory costs many biilions of dollars which Pakistan can ill-afford now. Despite cheap state loans, all Chinese solar panel factories are running at a loss now. To propose a new factory in Pakistan is not well-advised. Even most of US and EU installations use chinese made inexpensive solar panels now-a-days.

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laraibimtiaz

Mar 19, 2013 05:44pm

Even Abu Dhabi, which has a sea of oil under it has invested $600m to power 20,000 homes through solar energy. Their solar concentration site is equal to 85 football pitches which isn't massive. One can setup such a site outside any major Pakistani city. Also in our country we have an abundance of sunlight and yet we aren't doing enough to adopt it as a major source of power.

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Akram

Mar 19, 2013 06:38pm

the problem with solar power is that its expensive, it costs twice as much to generate the electricity as using say gas or oil.

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Bbbb

Mar 19, 2013 11:50pm

Hahahaha, who will ring the bell? And what about the big multinational petroleum companies. Who will feed them? YOU?

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