Pakistan, a nation historically associated with instability and conflict, quietly emerged as a leading adopter of solar energy in 2024, importing an astounding 22 gigawatts of solar panels in a single year.
This surge, exceeding the total installed solar capacity of Canada and the UK’s additions over five years, largely went unnoticed by Western media preoccupied with their own energy transition challenges.
Driven by the declining cost of solar panels and the economic sense it made for businesses and individuals facing unreliable grids and expensive fossil fuels, Pakistan’s government facilitated this boom by removing tariffs and approving net metering.
This clean energy transition extends beyond solar, with growing wind power, hydropower, and the nascent adoption of electric vehicles and battery storage, particularly in the two- and three-wheeler sectors.
Backed by increasingly ambitious climate policies, including the large-scale Ten Billion Tree Tsunami reforestation project, Pakistan’s unglamorous but rapid shift towards clean energy offers a compelling example of how a developing nation can leverage global market forces and pragmatic governance to address energy needs and build resilience.
